The North Queensland Cowboys will aim to push clear of the bottom of the ladder when they host the Newcastle Knights, who are almost back to full strength. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 6pm (AEST).
You would ordinarily call this a season to forget for the Knights – no Mitchell Pearce for a long stretch, as well as an injury to Kalyn Ponga over the last month makes you question what could have been.
But given where they have been over the last three seasons, with back-to-back-to-back wooden spoons, they are in a good spot with eight wins to their name.
Sitting six points out of the top eight, there is still a mathematical chance they could play finals, but they would need to win all of their remaining six games and hope for other results to go their way – by that, the Raiders, Warriors and Tigers all to struggle.
With Ponga back on the park alongside Pearce this week, we may finally see what Newcastle are capable of, although it’s been their defence which has been the issue more often than not this season, holding the worst defensive record in the competition.
On the other side of the coin, this truly has been the season from hell for the Cowboys.
They haven’t been understrength a great deal, but things simply haven’t clicked. The form Michael Morgan was in last year has been nowhere to be seen before his injury, while Johnathan Thurston looks over the hill in his final year.
Matt Scott has been in and out with injury, their backline have been ordinary and the forward pack dominated more often than not.
It leaves Paul Green’s men with just four wins from their 18 games, bringing another shonky performance into this one after going down to the St George Illawarra Dragons at home last week.
They have lost five on the trot and the only thing left now is to avoid the wooden spoon, which they are locked in the race for alongside the Parramatta Eels and Canterbury Bulldogs.
There were some promising signs from Jake Clifford in the halves last week, but it’s still tough to see where their next win is coming from.
Prediction
It’s got to the point where you just don’t know if the Cowboys can turn this around. With Kalyn Ponga back at his first NRL stomping ground, I’ll tip him and Pearce to have a big game, taking the Knights to a victory which keeps their finals chances mathematically alive.
Knights by 8.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of this Round 20 match from 6pm (AEST) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.
Mungo
Guest
Why did he turn his head?
Cedric
Guest
so Henry missed it but the rest of Australasia saw it and the tv recorded it. It's just wrong.
chris n
Guest
henry is bad enough
Adz Sportz
Roar Guru
If you look again, you'll see Paranara turn his head just as the pass was thrown. He was in line, but he missed it
Adz Sportz
Roar Guru
Good win for the Cows. Contrasting halves. But they finally showed a bit of effort and a bit of heart in that second half
Adz Sportz
Roar Guru
Probably Justin O'Neill's best game for the past 2 years
Cedric
Guest
the panel raised the forward pass in the after match report also mentioning other teams to have lost in that fashion. What can you say, it just doesn't stop.
Rob
Guest
Good calling Scott. Hardwork but well done.
Rob
Guest
How nice is it to see Ponga joking with his young former teammates. They’re probably giving it to him about getting the win.
Penrith Punter
Roar Guru
Should have demoted the refs to this game.
Mungo
Guest
A second half comeback that Cummins would have been proud of and the complicit Fox commentators hardly said a word on the forward pass - what a farce!!!
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thanks for joining me for The Roar's live coverage of this one as the North Queensland Cowboys beat the Newcastle Knights. Hopefully you enjoyed the call. I'm straight off to the next one, so be sure to join me for live coverage of the Bulldogs and Tigers back at Homebush. Bye for now.
Rob
Guest
Wow we scored 20 points. Who said we’re getting the spoon.
Emcie
Roar Guru
it certainly lived up to the hype
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thoughts on the game Roarers?
Scott Pryde
Expert
FULLTIME Well, the Knights were all offside from the kick-off, but it won't matter as Gavin Cooper comes up with it. North Queensland will run the clock down and that's the end of this one. The hosts get out of it after the Knights looked like a different team in the second 40. In the end, it was a race to see which team wanted to lose it less. Cowboys 20 Knights 18
Scott Pryde
Expert
80' - CONVERSION MISSED by JOHNATHAN THURSTON 32 seconds left. Cowboys 20 Knights 18
Stuart Thomas
Expert
The ref is dead set in line with that.
Scott Pryde
Expert
79' - TRY COWBOYS, GAVIN COOPER The Cowboys away through O'Neill and Feldt as they come back to halfway, then it's Taumalolo with a run. They go left and Asiata goes to Thurston who then sends it back on the inside for Martin who goes through the line. He links with Gavin Cooper and he will go away to score The Cowboys are going to win. The pass looked maybe a little suspect for mine, but North Queensland have tried everything to lose this game, as have the Knights. In the end, the Cowboys bring it up. Cowboys 20 Knights 18
Emcie
Roar Guru
Well that's what happens when you don't score a point in the second half