A three try blitz in 10 minutes has rescued North Queensland's stuttering premiership campaign against the Wests Tigers in Campbelltown on Friday night.
The Tigers looked destined to notch their third win in five weeks when they took an eight point lead mid-way through the second half, only to have their pants pulled down by a resurgent Cowboys outfit.
More Rugby League Videos
- Video duration
- 01:30
Cowboys trump Tigers with late show
Cowboys trump Tigers with late show
The Tigers had all the momentum but couldn't overcome a fast-finishing Kyle Feldt and North Queensland Cowboys.
Up Next
League legend charged with child sex abuse
- Video duration
- 00:30
- Video duration
- 00:30
League legend charged with child sex abuse
League legend charged with child sex abuse
Australian rugby league "Immortal" Graeme Langlands has been charged with six counts of indecent dealing with a girl under 16. Vision: Seven News.
Up Next
Rugby League: England crush Papua New Guinea
- Video duration
- 01:30
- Video duration
- 01:30
Rugby League: England crush Papua New ...
Rugby League: England crush Papua New Guinea
England will now move to the Rugby League World Cup semi-finals against Tonga.
Up Next
Fiji defeat New Zealand
- Video duration
- 01:30
- Video duration
- 01:30
Fiji defeat New Zealand
Fiji defeat New Zealand
Fiji cause an upset win, beating New Zealand in a tryless game in Wellington.
Up Next
Fiji dominate Wales as PNG finally overcome Ireland
- Video duration
- 01:30
- Video duration
- 01:30
Fiji dominate Wales as PNG finally ...
Fiji dominate Wales as PNG finally overcome Ireland
Fiji demolish Wales in Townsville, while Papua New Guinea score an exciting win against Ireland in Port Moresby.
Up Next
Rugby League World Cup: Ireland upset Italians
- Video duration
- 01:29
- Video duration
- 01:29
Rugby League World Cup: Ireland upset ...
Rugby League World Cup: Ireland upset Italians
Ireland's Michael McIlorum scored a try in the 36-12 win over Italy during the World Cup Rugby League game and Tonga put on a demolishing display over Scotland.
Up Next
Kaufusi: I would've loved to play for Tonga
- Video duration
- 00:18
- Video duration
- 00:18
Kaufusi: I would've loved to play for ...
Kaufusi: I would've loved to play for Tonga
Kangaroos forward Felise Kaufusi says representing Australia was too good to turn down.
Up Next
Kidwell unhappy with Taumalolo's handling of withdrawal
- Video duration
- 00:50
- Video duration
- 00:50
Kidwell unhappy with Taumalolo's handling ...
Kidwell unhappy with Taumalolo's handling of withdrawal
The Kiwis coach is still yet to have a conversation with the Cowboys wrecking ball about his decision to join Tonga for the World Cup.
Cowboys trump Tigers with late show
The Tigers had all the momentum but couldn't overcome a fast-finishing Kyle Feldt and North Queensland Cowboys.
A loss would have left North Queensland's finals aspirations on life support, however the 22-14 win means they can now only miss out on the finals if they lose to Brisbane next week and the Dragons win their last two games.
The Cowboys, who were staring down the barrel of five straight defeats, take on the Broncos in the Queensland derby up in Townsville next Thursday night and are still a slim mathematical chance of making the top four.
Local junior James Tedesco didn't have a night to remember in his final outing in his backyard, struggling to make an impact as he bid farewell to the ground he grew up on.
While the Tigers will rue yet another match they let slip, it is clear that a lot has changed in the last 20 weeks since the Ivan Cleary regime began up at Townsville with a 26-16 win over the Cowboys in round 6.
Mitchell Moses, fresh off having his contract taken off the table, led the Tigers to victory on that night. Skipper Aaron Woods and fullback James Tedesco were still being courted by the club and weighing up offers from the Roosters and Bulldogs.
Tui Lolohea was thousands of kilometres away in Auckland drinking his sorrows away having to put up with playing NSW Cup for the Warriors.
Malakai Watene-Zelezniak was walking in the shadows of his little brother at the Panthers, while Luke Brooks couldn't keep his hamstring intact long enough to string together a few games of football.
Esan who? Matt Eisenhuth and Alex Twal? Only Wests Tigers tragics knew those names were on the club's books.
And even though they are glued to the bottom end of the ladder, the changes at the Tigers are far greater than the names listed on the team sheet every Tuesday afternoon.
Once a group with talented individuals, Cleary has begun transforming the Tigers to talented individuals in a team.
And while the talents at their disposal may be far inferior to those at the top of the ladder, few could question the application shown by this relative team of no names that just couldn't get the job done against the Cowboys without Johnathan Thurston.
With Josh Reynolds, Ben Matulino, Russell Packer and Chris McQueen on their way out to Tiger town next year, it's somewhat of a shame Woods and Tedesco won't be around to reap the benefits of the hard work instilled under Cleary since that night in Townsville 20 weeks ago.
The captain, who will farewell the Tigers at Leichhardt in the last round next weekend, set the tone early when he pushed through some soft Cowboys defence to give his side a 6-0 buffer.
Te Maire Martin, who the Tigers tried to sign as a replacement for Moses earlier in the year, showed his class when he hit back to level the score for the Cowboys.
However a try to Josh Aloiai on the stroke of half time sent the Tigers into the sheds with a four point buffer. It looked like the Tigers would cruise to victory when Watene-Zelezniak extended his side's lead to 14-6, only for Kyle Feldt to bag a double to help the Cowboys reclaim the lead by two points with 12 minutes remaining. Michael Morgan scored late to put the result beyond doubt.
0 comments
New User? Sign up