North Queensland Cowboys continue to struggle in Sydney thanks to error-riddled display

NORTH Queensland’s decade of disappointment in Sydney continues thanks to another error-riddled display.

Johnathan Thurston of the Cowboys reacts to his side’s loss.

NORTH Queensland’s decade of disappointment in Sydney continues thanks to another error-riddled display.

A depleted Wests Tigers grinded the Cowboys out of the contest in a three tries to one, 16-4, victory at Campbelltown Stadium.

The Cowboys have not defeated the Tigers in Sydney since 2004, losing their past 10 matches against them including the gutting grand final defeat in 2005.

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News_Image_File: Johnathan Thurston of the Cowboys runs with the ball.

It is one of the longest-running hoodoos in rugby league and will not be broken as long as the Cowboys make crucial errors in front of their own goal posts.

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As evidence of how erratic the Cowboys attack was, even the great Johnathan Thurston dropped the ball cold with the goal-line in sight.

Coach Paul Green said North Queensland took a backward step from their impressive win over Newcastle last week.

He said their intense travel schedule, this is the second of three games in 12 days, was taking its toll.

News_Rich_Media: Wests Tigers coach Michael Potter addresses the press following his team’s 16-4 win over the Cowboys.

“Very tough on a short turn around, a Monday night game into a Saturday night game with a flight ... very tough to get yourself physically ready,” he said.

“I thought we did a good job but our execution let us down.

“It is a hard turn around for us.

“We are making errors at vital times in the game.”

In defence the Cowboys combine brilliantly as a team and remain the competition’s best tacklers.

Their attack however is devoid of harmony.

News_Rich_Media: North Queensland Cowboys’ Paul Green and Matt Scott address the press following their team’s 16-4 loss to the Tigers.

“Yeah, I’m happy they made 14 errors because they probably had three opportunities to score tries but they came up with errors and changed the game,” Tigers coach Mick Potter said.

The Cowboys’ only try last night was through a stroke of luck as an attempted Tigers’ intercept propelled the ball to Thurston who found himself in space and put veteran Brent Tate over the line to score the game’s first try.

Despite early inroads, North Queensland were frustrating in attack, making breaks that were ruined by unforced errors and poor options.

For example at the quarter mark of the game, the Cowboys had surged to within 30m of the Tigers’ line and Thurston demanded the ball as he spotted an overlap.

News_Image_File: Robbie Farah as he is taken of the field in the second half.

Instead, hooker Rory Kostjasyn dummied to Thurston and launched a bomb that went straight up and down.

Opportunity blown.

Another key error, five metres out from their own line gave the Tigers an opportunity to take the lead at half time and Robbie Farah made them pay when he sliced through confused ruck defence under the crossbar.

A 6-4 lead was extended through tries to Blake Austin and Pat Richards in the second half.

Cruelly, Farah appeared to dislocate his elbow in the final minutes and could miss several weeks but There were only 6,456 fans to watch last night’s highly-skilled contest at Campbelltown.

News_Image_File: Johnathan Thurston of the Cowboys reacts to the loss.

It was the third worst crowd in the Tigers history at Campbelltown and it prompted Tigers chief executive Grant Mayer to tell journalists at half time that it could be the final game at Campbelltown.

Mayer said their round 11 clash against the Brisbane Broncos would be the last chance for supporters to prove the ground deserved to host Tigers’ games.

“It is a last throw of the dice for Campbelltown to come and show they support their club. Then, we will have to reassess whether we continue to run games here at a loss,” Mayer said.