North Queensland Cowboys defeat Penrith Panthers 30-10 inspired by Johnathan Thurston

IN Monday night’s victory over Penrith, the Cowboys produced a piece of magic that proved this team could still be premiership contenders.

Cowboys Johnathan Thurston makes a tackle on Penrith's Dean Whare during NRL match Penrith Panthers v Nth Qld Cowboys at Penrith. pic. Phil Hillyard

IN THE 69th minute of their victory over Penrith on Monday night, the Cowboys produced a piece of magic that proved this team could be contenders — and there wasn’t a show-and-go or cut-out pass in sight.

Instead it was a crunching, match-securing gang tackle as Johnathan Thurston, Gavin Cooper and Jake Granville pushed hulking winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak seven metres back to force a drop out.

Penrith were only trailing 22-10 and dominating play at the time. But in the four minutes after the dropout, the Cowboys kicked a penalty goal and scored a try to win 30-10.

When the Cowboys ran out to face the Panthers on Monday night, commentator Mark Gasnier described North Queensland’s performances this season as “lazy and unenthusiastic”.

His description was accurate until the Cowboys out-enthused a pedestrian Penrith side in Penrith to show they are finals material.

Last week we saw the real Johnathan Thurston. On Monday night we saw the real North Queensland Cowboys.

Injury-riddled centre Tautau Moga was a class above and exposed rookie opponent centre Waqa Blake as he set up two first-half tries for his winger Matt Wright who ultimately bagged a hat-trick.

Gavin Cooper breaks through the Panthers defence.

Fullback Lachlan Coote had his best game in a Cowboys jersey, repeatedly putting his body on the line against the club that didn’t want him at the end of 2013.

The Cowboys scored five tries, their biggest haul this season, and turned their record from 0-3 to 2-3 in the space of eight days.

Former Cowboys hooker James Segeyaro scored first for the Panthers, gaining revenge on the team he once said botched his re-signing.

From 1m out, Segeyaro dummied and dived over the line despite Cowboys defenders yelling out “dummy half”.

Segeyaro pushed the Cowboys players who were left in his wake, elated at getting one back on his former teammates.

The Cowboys however responded through two quick tries to Wright and Lachlan Coote.

Coote’s try was bizarre as he grounded a loose ball over line with his pelvis. Technically it is a try, but there was nothing purposeful about Coote’s put down.

Ethan Lowe celebrates a try with Johnathan Thurston and Michael Morgan.

The referees were booed at halftime by the small but vocal Penrith crowd but they had little influence on the result.

Penrith were average, bordering on poor, for the first 55 minutes.

In their second set of six in the second half, Watene-Zelezniak dropped a simple pass 15 metres out from his goal line.

The Cowboys scored two minutes later through Ethan Lowe and at 22-6 the game should have been effectively over.

However, Penrith enjoyed a period of dominant field position which saw Dean Whare score untouched.

That try gave them confidence and they dominated the next ten minutes resulting in Mansour diving over the line but he was controversially denied a four pointer as the video referee deemed he lost the ball.

Then came the gang tackle that halted Penrith’s momentum and earned back to back victories for North Queensland.

The Panthers were coming off consecutive losses to the Roosters and Newcastle and have now lost three in a row to be in the position North Queensland were two weeks ago, failing to meet expectations.