The North Queensland Cowboys have won a fast-paced game over the New Zealand Warriors by 12 points in Townsville on Saturday night.
Final score
North Queensland Cowboys 24
New Zealand Warriors 12
It will be a ding-dong battle when the red-hot North Queensland Cowboys run into the inconsistent and highly unpredictable New Zealand Warriors. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 7:30pm (AEST).
After Origin 2, you’d have been hard pressed to find a Cowboys supporter who liked the look of their side’s chances for a legitimate finals push.
They got beaten up in the Origin period, and more significantly, lost their playmaker and leader, Johnathan Thurston, to a season ending shoulder injury.
Fast forward a month, and the Cowboys are looking to make it four straight victories when they clash with the Warriors.
A lot rests on the shoulders of Michael Morgan, who has been simply outstanding in recent weeks, filling in the void left by Thurston. He has been ably supported, however, by Lachlan Coote, and last week particularly, Jake Granville, who tore the Bunnies to absolute shreds in Cairns.
The Warriors on the contrary, are experiencing what North Queensland did a few weeks ago. Star playmaker Shaun Johnson has a PCL injury and will be missing for at least six weeks. In an attack that looks fragile at the best of times, this is an enormous loss for the 11th-placed New Zealand outfit.
They still have threats in players like Kieran Foran and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, however all eyes will be on Mason Lino as he attempts to steer the team around in the absence of their usual playmaker.
The Warriors would’ve been mightily disappointed with their results in the Origin period. Winning only three from six despite having lost few to rep duty could well haunt them come finals, and tonight is the perfect opportunity for them to galvanise and return to their winning ways.
Where the game will be won
The Cowboys spine in recent weeks has been phenomenal, and that’s where this encounter will be decided. If Morgan, Coote and Granville show the same form they have in recent weeks, the Warriors will struggle to keep up with the pace of the game.
The Warriors could explode early and register initial scoreboard pressure, though, and expect Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Kieran Foran to step up in the absence of Shaun Johnson.
That being said, it’s a danger game for the Warriors, and they’ll do well to beat a confident and in-form Cowboys side playing at home.
Prediction
The Cowboys will continue their hot streak. Michael Morgan will turn on the flair, and the Cowboys outside backs will have a field day.
Cowboys by 16.
Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match, starting from 7:30pm (AEST).
casper
Guest
a player needs the ability to play the ball after the tackle is made, it is not union
casper
Guest
lol @ the NRL headlines "Cowboys scrap past warriors" "Cowboys deal with Warriors last desperate attempt to make finals football" I guess it is just interpretation if you live in Sydney ....
Sylvester
Guest
That last 5 min really summed up the Warriors season. I hope they have more off season buys planned for the forwards because I'm not sure the purchases they made already will solve the problems.
Nick Kelland
Roar Guru
FULL TIME COWBOYS 24 - 12 WARRIORS MATCH RESULT: The North Queensland Cowboys have prevailed 24-12 over the New Zealand Warriors in a see-sawing and highly entertaining affair at 1300SMILES Stadium on Saturday night. The game started at a frenetic pace, the Warriors forwards making easy metres either side of the ruck. Mason Lino controlled the game well, winning his side three repeat sets back to back to back. Something had to give after their third repeat set, and it did in the form of a Bunty Afoa try, benefitting from a delightful Roger Tuivasa-Sheck short ball. Almost immediately, however, the Cowboys showed why they’d won three straight when Michael Morgan found a wide Lachlan Coote who threw a short arm jab, almost, to Justin O’Neill who scored untouched. The Cowboys went further ahead in the 35th minute through Javid Bowen, the late replacement for Antonio Winterstein, who gleefully accepted a Granville grubber from close to the Warriors line. It looked like the score would stay 12-6 in favour of the home side at the break, however some sloppy defence from Michael Morgan allowed Simon Mannering to cross on half time after some nice lead up work from Kieran Foran. The score was 12-12 at the break, and both sides spoke of the need to hold on to possession and look to play more through their forwards up the middle. The Warriors would’ve been most happy with their start to the second half, Lino’s kicking again winning back to back repeat sets, however it was the Cowboys who opened the scoring in the 50th minute through an Ethan Lowe penalty goal. The Cowboys then blew the margin out to six, Ethan Lowe scoring in the corner off an opportunistic offload from Kyle Feldt. He couldn’t convert his own try, but the Cowboys had all the running as the game rolled into its last quarter. Indeed, the last play of the game typified the Warriors night. Attacking the Cowboys line, Lino’s kick was fielded by Fusitua, but his offload was collected by Bowen who ran 90m to score, and seal the win for the Cowboys. So, where to from here? The Cowboys win their fourth straight, and will take all the confidence in the world into their next fixture against the Roosters. The Warriors will have no easy task when they take on last years premiers Cronulla in Auckland.
eagleJack
Roar Guru
Really good win for the Cowboys. They just kept turning up. Most spirited performance I've seen from the Warriors in a long time.
Nick Kelland
Roar Guru
80′ TRY COWBOYS! Cowboys 24 – 12 Warriors Well. Javid Bowen take a bow. His kick led to the Warriors chance there, and he swooped off the offload from Fusitua and ran 90m to score untouched, in the process sealing the Cowboys 4th straight. Desperately close for the Warriors, but the Cowboys can be proud of that win.
R N
Roar Rookie
Well done Bowen...
Nick Kelland
Roar Guru
79′ Cowboys 18 – 12 Warriors That was a bit silly. Hingano tries to dive over on the 5th, and is met by about four Cowboys who get under him and hold him up. The Cowboys now march up the middle through the Teddy bear and Cooper. Big kick here, no! They run it - Bowen comes up with it and stabs a grubber through but it's awful. Rolls dead. The Warriors have a seven tackle set to finish the game. Huge scenes!
Nick Kelland
Roar Guru
78′ Cowboys 18 – 12 Warriors Coote misses the drop goal from in front! It hits the post, and Granville tackles RTS in an offside position. Let off for the Warriors there. They have the ball now, on the 40m - 3rd tackle... And it's a penalty for the Warriors!! Hingano kicks to the line and chews off good acreage. Warriors now desperately close to the Cowboys line, 4th tackle, 7m away with Mannering. This is huge!!!
Nick Kelland
Roar Guru
76′ Cowboys 18 – 12 Warriors So close, but no cigar. Foran's 40/20 attempt goes out on the full. So close. Anyway, Cowboys have a seven tackle set, 32m from the Warriors line. Potential field goal?
Nick Kelland
Roar Guru
74′ Cowboys 18 – 12 Warriors Coote with a wonderful take in the air under huge pressure to save the day for the Cowboys. Just like that, Morgan, Felt and Granville have marched the ball over halfway. Last tackle, comes back for Morgan and he kicks deep again, where Maumalo waits. He's tackled and the Cowboys step one set closer to victory.
eagleJack
Roar Guru
The Warriors need to start dropping the ball in the play-the-ball. It's the only way they'll get a penalty.
Nick Kelland
Roar Guru
72′ Cowboys 18 – 12 Warriors Another pressure relieving kick from Michael Morgan now, he stabs one low and hard into Warriors territory - it's out about 20m their side of halfway ad the Warriors have a scrum now.
Nick Kelland
Roar Guru
71′ Cowboys 18 – 12 Warriors RTS returns Morgan's 40/20 attempt and shows fancy feet before Foran picks up and goes, makes a quick 20m. The Warriors are now playing with the same urgency that they did in the first 10 minutes. Danger for the Cowboys .
Nick Kelland
Roar Guru
69′ Cowboys 18 – 12 Warriors Much better kick from the Warriors, this time from Isaac Luke. He kicks early in the set, and it dribbles into touch 10m from the Cowboys try line. Can the Warriors come up with anything here?
Nick Kelland
Roar Guru
69′ Cowboys 18 – 12 Warriors Lowe knocks on 5m out after a huge shot from Foran. Warriors still with all the pressure on them, 2nd tackle 10m from their own line.
Nick Kelland
Roar Guru
67′ Cowboys 18 – 12 Warriors Tackle 5, and Martin pokes through the grubber where David Fusitua has to ground it. Repeat set for the Cowboys.
Stu
Guest
That'll do me. Perenara giving the cowboys this game with all these bs penalties. Giving cows all the field posession they want
R N
Roar Rookie
Cows getting some good calls!
Nick Kelland
Roar Guru
66′ Cowboys 18 – 12 Warriors The Warriors kicking game has just fallen off the boil completely in the last couple of sets. They're completing the sets, but have had two or three ineffective kicks on the fifth tackle in a row. Now, to add insult to injury, Coote is taken high, and it's a penalty to NQL... The Cowboys are in possession on halfway now with Michael Morgan.