The North Queensland Cowboys have pinched a win on the fulltime siren over the Melbourne Storm to complete their regular season preparations on a high in the Johnathan Thurston and Cameron Smith testimonial match.
Melbourne Storm 14
North Queensland Cowboys 16
Two legends of the game, Cameron Smith and Johnathan Thurston, will be honoured when the Melbourne Storm and North Queensland Cowboys meet in an NRL pre-season testimonial game. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 8pm (AEDT).
While it’s drawn criticism from other clubs and some sections of the media, Smith and Thurston will both collect a percentage of the gate profit outside of the salary cap.
You’d be hard-pressed to find two more deserving players in the competition though, and neither club were knocking back the idea of a high-intensity trial on Suncorp Stadium in front of a likely crowd of 30,000-plus.
Adding intrigue to the clash, this will be the first time the two sides have met since the 2017 NRL grand final. That meeting was set up thanks to the Cowboys’ incredible run through September, where they went from giant-killing win to giant-killing win.
While the Townsville-based club were thumped by the best team all year in the decider, it was an incredible achievement just to make the big dance without Thurston and Matt Scott.
Entering 2018, North Queensland welcome back their two Origin stars and with Thurston retired from representative football, he can put all of his efforts into the club he loves.
Joined by last year’s breakout star Michael Morgan and a firing forward pack, the Cowboys are primed to go the distance in 2018.
Melbourne, as always, will be towards the top. Craig Bellamy has turned his side into the most professional team in rugby league and even without Cooper Cronk, they cruised to victory over the Leeds Rhinos.
Cronk will be replaced by Brodie Croft this season, with the youngster making an impressive start to his new job last Friday at AAMI Park.
This match will give him another chance to work on his combination with fellow half Cameron Munster, while young fullback Jahrome Hughes replaces an injured Billy Slater.
Smith will also look to build on his form after showing plenty of rust last Friday, while the forwards will continue trying to roll their opposition – something they did with regularity in 2017.
Prediction
This is a pre-season match, but it could well be a grand final preview at a much slower pace and intensity. Still, this won’t be an average trial and the Cowboys should take a close victory.
Cowboys by 4.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of this NRL pre-season match from 8pm (AEDT) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.
Emcie
Roar Guru
think they said a touch over 25k
JD St George
Roar Pro
The Storm have now played 4 trials
Griffo
Guest
Entertaining. If we were after a bit of razzle dazzle it was always more likely to come from Thurston than Smith. Some good plays from both teams, lead changes right up to the last minute. Kane Linnett and Jahrome Hughes the lossrs from tonight. Linnett may struggle to get back into the side. He's the least talented in the Cowboys lineup. Good defender and makes strong runs but a lot attacking raids die with him. He could make a go of it as a back rower but the North Queensland is pretty well off for those.
Griffo
Guest
I like Cameron Smith apologising for the weather. Not even HE can control that!
up in the north
Roar Rookie
DAMN I'm gutted I missed this one. Quite telling how both clubs approached this game, Cowbies had the attitude that it was round one dress rehearsal and storm gave their reserves the run. Doesn't matter. The result is what counts. But that last few minutes were pretty stressful.....
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thanks for joining me this evening on The Roar for our live coverage of the NRL pre-season as the Cowboys beat the Storm in Brisbane. Hopefully you enjoyed the call. I'll be back from 7:30pm (AEDT) tomorrow evening as the St George Illawarra Dragons host the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the Charity Shield. Bye for now.
Emcie
Roar Guru
Ended up being a pretty good game there
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thurston and Smith chatting post match. Both full of respect for each other as you'd probably expect and Thurston says his shoulder has pulled up well after the pre-season and a couple of trial matches.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thoughts on the game Roarers?
Scott Pryde
Expert
FULLTIME The North Queensland Cowboys have come away with a win in the Cameron Smith and Johnathan Thurston testimonial match at Suncorp Stadium, with Thurston setting up a crossfield chip kick for winger Kyle Feldt to score on the buzzer. Atrocious conditions were the feature of the game, with puddles pooling on the ground. It rained almost from start to finish and despite a strong start from the Storm, they couldn't make it count into points. North Queensland would take the lead into halftime off the back of a try from Thurston. Melbourne grabbed the lead back with just quarter of an hour to go after a sensational effort from Billy Walters, but it was all about Thurston in the end, with Feldt completing a hat-trick to hand the Cowboys a win in what was a solid hit out for both teams a fortnight before the start of the regular season. Melbourne Storm 14 North Queensland Cowboys 16
Scott Pryde
Expert
CONVERSION MISSED by GAVIN COOPER Melbourne Storm 14 North Queensland Cowboys 16
Scott Pryde
Expert
80' - Kick to come, but it won't matter. The Cowboys will win! Melbourne Storm 14 North Queensland Cowboys 16
Scott Pryde
Expert
80' - TRY COWBOYS, KYLE FELDT The Cowboys working it out of their own end through Bolton and Asiata, with Taumalolo taking the next up the middle. Scott has the next to halfway, then offloads to Granville who links with Thurston and he finds Morgan who passes to the wing, Feldt tackled 30 out. Quickly back to the left and now there's some space for Winterstein who cuts in off the wing and is tackled ten out. Last play and Thurston puts the chip kick in for the corner with the Melbourne defence shot to bits, Feldt flying above the pack, juggling it in the air, then turning around and reaching out to score! Feldt has a hat-trick and the Cowboys win it on the buzzer in Brisbane! What a banana kick off the outside of the boot from Thurston. The goat is back! Melbourne Storm 14 North Queensland Cowboys 16
Scott Pryde
Expert
79' - The Storm working it away through Olam and Kamakamica before Jacks kicks early. Feldt comes charging back, loses it backwards and Morgan will clean it up. Melbourne Storm 14 North Queensland Cowboys 12
Scott Pryde
Expert
78' - Hess brings it away from the scrum with a solid run, but then makes an error standing up to play the ball. This is unbelievably poor handling. Melbourne Storm 14 North Queensland Cowboys 12
Scott Pryde
Expert
77' - Sloppy from Melbourne and this one isn't over yet. They make an error bringing it out of their own end. Melbourne Storm 14 North Queensland Cowboys 12
Scott Pryde
Expert
CONVERSION SUCCESSFUL by SCOTT DRINKWATER Melbourne Storm 14 North Queensland Cowboys 12
Scott Pryde
Expert
75' - TRY STORM, BILLY WALTERS The Storm still searching for a way to win this one. Bromwich and Grant with runs before Jacks and Walkers send it right to Drinkwater who is dragged to ground. Welch back down the middle of the park and on the last it's Walters who has put on a wonderful display of footwork, opening the Cowboys defence up and going straight through to lock the game up with a kick to come. Walters went straight around Thurston there after the Cowboys' half charged off his line. Melbourne Storm 12 North Queensland Cowboys 12
Scott Pryde
Expert
74' - Melbourne with it through Bromwich, before Grant picks up a penalty. Finucane takes the next and picks up another penalty. Melbourne Storm 8 North Queensland Cowboys 12
Scott Pryde
Expert
72' - Melbourne, virtually with a second choice 13 out there at the moment. They come back towards halfway before Hoffman takes a run. Now it's ran on the last by Walters before the ball goes through Grant and Jacks, a pass eventually going out, deflected off Morgan, so the Storm will have six again. Melbourne Storm 8 North Queensland Cowboys 12