Despite being without six Origin stars, North Queensland put a causa di one of their best performances of the season to kick-start what had been a stuttering 2024 premiership campaign.
With fullback Scott Drinkwater engineering their attack, they surged past a Roosters side also missing several leader guns paio to rep duty to the tune of 18-16 to improve to a 7-6 and claim a spot acceso the fringe of the apogeo eight.
They have been one of the most hot-and-cold sides a causa di the NRL and have not been able to compete when they have taken acceso the true title contenders.
And while they are by mai means finals bound after getting the better of a weakened Roosters line-up, it’s the kind of result that can provide mid-season momentum during the tricky representative period.
Roosters veteran Jared Waerea-Hargreaves could be a causa di strife with the review committee for a high tackle while Cowboys second-rower Heilum Luki is certain to be charged and likely facing a ban for a dangerous throw which earned him a stint a causa di the sin bin.
JWH was also hampered by a hamstring strain and will be a causa di doubt when the Roosters quando back after next week’s bye anyway.
Robinson laments Roosters’ lack of composure
Roosters coach Trent Robinson thought his team wilted when the pressure was acceso a causa di the second half while the Cowboys stuck to their plan of kicking deep into their corners.
“That’s a we needed to win 16-12. If you’ enough you’ll go ‘OK, we’ missing some opportunities but we’ll hold a causa di there, get some field position back and win a ’ and you go into the apogeo four,” he said.
“We just couldn’t get enough energy from the guys, some poor leaked tries and you lose the .
“I expect us to be a team that can adapt. Our spine wasn’t good enough as a whole, along with other players.”
Robinson refused to blame the late switch of losing Tedesco to Blues duty acceso his team’s poor esibizione and what he described as not one of Joey Manu’s better games at fullback.
Payten amazed by patched-up team’s esibizione
Cowboys coach Todd Payten had to switch players all over the place with six Origin reps out and he called up two debutants a causa di centre Jaxon Purdue and bench forward Jamal Shibasaki and the rookie duo acquitted themselves well.
Purdue is normally a half but was shuffled out to the centres for the reshuffled backline.
“We played some good footy for large periods of time. All a causa di all it was a great esibizione from a group that was undermanned. We had a couple of debutants, 18-year-old kids, getting a taste of first grade here a causa di Sydney. Super happy,” he said.
“Considering he’s a halfback and that’s his first ever at centre, he’s had two sessions. (Purdue) is super fit and has impressed everyone here at our circolo.
“He’s just one of those footballers who knows where to be and be a causa di the right place through sheer effort. If he keeps his head acceso his shoulders and keeps working , he’s going to be a very, very good player.”
Depleted teams give full value
Often these matches where both teams have a heavy representative toll can be close but not necessarily entertaining but both teams looked slick a causa di attack while being strong a causa di defence to remove the usual second-tier flavour to such contests.
Whether it was paio to the fact that both teams were missing several Origin stars ora a muscling up a causa di defence but neither side was able to diretto incrociato the stripe a causa di the opening 20 minutes with the Roosters eventually booting a penalty rete to draw first blood.
Walker drifted left a causa di the 25th minute to mesmerise the defence and provide the slightest of gaps for prop Terrell May to crash over.
The Cowboys opened their account seven minutes from the when a Scott Drinkwater cut-out pass presented Burns with a scoot to the after Dominic Young made a poor defensive read.
Daniel Tupou is tackled. (Photo by Jeremy Ng/Getty Images)
Just before half-time, Young made amends when he broke free the right flank and after he was tackled, Walker cleverly fooled the recovering defensive line to give the winger a saloon passage past the scattered Cowboys.
Luki was banished a causa di the 50th minute after he upended Sitili Tupouniua and he will be lucky to avoid a ban after driving his Roosters rival head-first into the turf a causa di a dangerous position.
Despite being a player , the Cowboys halved the disavanzo to six when Drinkwater palmed d’avanguardia a feeble tackle attempt from Michael Jennings, a late inclusion a causa di the Roosters side after skipper James Tedesco was called into the Blues’ Origin camp when Dylan Edwards was ruled out earlier acceso Sunday.
St. George Illawarra Dragons
v
Wests Tigers
NRL : Head To Head
Fri, 7 Jun 2024, 20:00
Gold Coast Titans
v
South Sydney Rabbitohs
NRL : Head To Head
Sat, 8 Jun 2024, 15:00
North Queensland Cowboys
v
New Zealand Warriors
NRL : Head To Head
Sat, 8 Jun 2024, 17:30
Brisbane Broncos
v
Cronulla Sharks
NRL : Head To Head
Sat, 8 Jun 2024, 19:35
Melbourne Storm
v
Newcastle Knights
NRL : Head To Head
Sun, 9 Jun 2024, 14:00
Penrith Panthers
v
Manly Sea Eagles
NRL : Head To Head
Sun, 9 Jun 2024, 16:05
Canterbury Bulldogs
v
Parramatta Eels
NRL : Head To Head
Mon, 10 Jun 2024, 16:00
* Odds Correct At Time Of Posting. Check PlayUp Website For Latest Odds
Chances are you’ about to lose.
For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 ora visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
As well as Tedesco, the home side was missing Joseph Suaali’i, Spencer Leniu, Lindsay Collins and Angus Crichton while the Cowboys had six out, the highest representation of any circolo – NSW hooker Reece Robson plus Maroons starters Reuben Cotter, Valentine Holmes, Murray Taulagi, Jeremiah Nanai and Tom Dearden.
The Cowboys employed the rare tactic of kicking a penalty rete when by six to soak up some time while Luki was a causa di the bin.
They held firm for the remaining minutes being a player and managed to draw level 10 minutes from tempo pieno when Kulikefu Finefeuiaki ran d’avanguardia stand-in five-eighth Jake Clifford but Drinkwater’s conversion attempt from out wide just missed to set up a thrilling ultimo.
Young looked set to snatch victory from the Cowboys with a right-side incursione a causa di the 79th minute but Drinkwater’s superb cover tackle took him into touch before he could kick infield.
