North Queensland go down at the death to South Sydney 20-19

NORTH Queensland were 11 seconds away from their best win of the season only to have it ripped away by South Sydney as their once-promising season continues to spiral out of control.

North Queensland Cowboys v South Sydney Rabbitohs from 1300 Smiles Stadium, Townsville. Cowboys Matt Scott after Rabbitohs George Burgess scores a try. Picture: Zak Simmonds

THE Maroons are in crisis on the eve of Origin I after key Cowboys enforcer Matt Scott suffered a knee injury in his side’s heartbreaking 20-19 loss to Souths in Townsville.

North Queensland looked to have snatched a dramatic victory when Michael Morgan — shifted to fullback — snapped a field goal to give the Cowboys a 19-18 lead with just four minutes to play.

The Cowboys were within seconds of victory/

But in keeping with their luckless season, the Cowboys were left to lament a gut-wrenching finale after hooker Jake Granville was penalised for being off-side 11 seconds from full-time.

Souths halfback Adam Reynolds duly landed the simple conversion from 10 metres out to clinch a one-point defeat and consign the Cowboys to equal second last with a dismal 3-8 record.

“We’re pretty shattered to lose like that, especially after such a rough trot,” Cowboys coach Paul Green said.

“I’d have to have a look at the penalty on the video.

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“We looked more threatening when we controlled the ball.”

The Cowboys’ pain extended to the mighty Maroons, who have been rocked by a forward crisis ahead of the series opener on June 6 after Scott became the latest big-name Queensland casualty.

Returning from a knee reconstruction this season, Scott was a certainty to be chosen for Origin I at the MCG to bring some experience and toughness to a youthful Queensland pack.

But in the space of four days, Queensland’s engine-room has been ripped apart after skipper Cameron Smith’s rep-retirement bombshell on Tuesday was compounded by Scott limping off in the 62nd minute.

The win secured the Bunnies place in the top four.

Scott will have scans on a possible medial-ligament damage, an injury that could sideline him for a month, which would rule him out of Origin I.

“We can’t afford to lose him either,” co-captain Johnathan Thurston said. “Everyone looks up to him so hopefully it’s not too bad.”

To add to Queensland coach Kevin Walters’ woes, the Maroons are already without back-rower Matt Gillett (neck) and star lock Josh McGuire (ankle) is racing the clock to be fit.

The Scott setback crystallised a night of misery for the Cowboys, who showed immense courage to overturn a 12-8 halftime deficit, only to crash with an epic victory in sight.

Souths raced out to an early lead.

The Cowboys must now win 10 of their last 13 games to make the playoffs and Thurston’s farewell season will almost certainly end in tears.

Coach Green’s tactical deployment of Morgan at fullback, axing Lachlan Coote in the process, could ignite the Maroons ace. He chimed in nicely to set-up two tries for Antonio Winterstein.

It was North Queensland’s best performance in some time, but they still fell short.

The first in the 19th minute helped the Cowboys whittle the deficit to 10-6. Then Morgan struck again, releasing Winterstein nine minutes from time before Thurston landed a booming sideline conversion to level scores at 18-all.

Ultimately, Morgan’s heroics counted for nothing. The Cowboys just can’t take a trick this season. Their title hopes are imploding — and the Maroons could face a similar torment.

SOUTH SYDNEY 20 (G Burgess D Cook tries A Reynolds 6 goals) bt NORTH QUEENSLAND 19 (A Winterstein 2 tries J Thurston 5 goals M Morgan field goal) at 1300 SMILES Stadium. Referee: Chris Sutton, Matt Noyen. Crowd: 14,270

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