Penrith outmuscle North Queensland 33-14 as Cowboys shocking start continues
NORTH Queensland’s season is lurching towards a crisis as Penrith outmuscled the freefalling premiership favourites to win 33-14 in Townsville.
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LAST year, they were the NRL’s Cinderella story. Now, the Cowboys are more like Nightmare on Elm Street.
North Queensland’s grand-final hangover has turned into a sickening migraine after the Cowboys sensationally crashed to a third consecutive defeat with a woeful 33-14 loss to a pumped-up Penrith at 1300 Smiles Stadium.
Coach Paul Green’s spray following last week’s loss to the Storm fell on deaf ears as the Cowboys were again belted in midfield by a Penrith side that was simply sharper, tougher and hungrier.
On a disastrous night in Townsville before 11,907 fans, it was pain on all fronts for the Cowboys, who lost centre Javid Bowen (concussion) and Test prop Jordan McLean (foot) to rub salt into deep wounds.
Inspired by magnificent James Maloney, who comprehensively outplayed Johnathan Thurston, the Panthers were ruthlessly clinical, leading 14-0 inside 22 minutes and charging to a 26-8 lead after 57 minutes.
Maloney put the boot into the Cowboys with a 77th-minute field goal before Moses Leota crossed a minute from full-time to seal Penrith’s first win in Townsville in nine years.
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To compound their plight, Cowboys back-rower Coen Hess was placed on report in the 57th minute for a late shot on the red-hot Maloney.
While the Panthers were superb, the Cowboys were insipid. This is not the team which surged imperiously to last year’s grand final. Their confidence is shot, their execution is awful and their big men are being monstered in midfield.
Underlining the rout, Thurston barely made an impact, while their $5 million man, Michael Morgan, was again quiet and is a world away from the five-eighth who inspired their grand-final charge.
Despite the 19-point drubbing, Green was more upbeat than the frustrated coach who tore strips off his troops last week.
“I wasn’t happy with it, but I saw a definite improvement in the areas I asked,” he said.
“It was four tries to three, two from kicks. When you are struggling a bit, it’s funny how the bounce of the ball doesn’t go your way.
“I’m disappointed with the result but I did see a reaction from the players.
“It was our attack tonight that let us down. We got a bit rattled, they pressured us well and we lacked a bit of composure. We need to keep our composure and a bit of confidence in the game.
“It’s important we don’t let our confidence drop too far. We know we have good players in our team, they don’t forget how to play footy so we have to trust in our game.”
The Cowboys could finish the weekend in the bottom four and the task won’t get easier, with Green’s troops facing a tough road trip to face the Warriors next Saturday night.
The hosts were expected to come charging out of the blocks after Green lashed their attitude in last week’s 30-14 loss to the Storm in the grand-final replay.
But here’s the scary thing. Green’s blast was white noise. Their start was as flat as week-old lemonade.
The Cowboys looked anything but the grand-finalists of 2017 as they committed a series of unforced errors, allowing the Panthers to find their rhythm, buoyed by a monster pack that was winning the midfield.
“We knew Penrith would come at us,” co-captain Matt Scott said.
“We defended well at the start, but it was a case of trying too hard in a few areas and we couldn’t mount enough pressure to limit their go-forward.”
It was a sign of the Cowboys’ ineptitude that the Panthers were hammered 10-3 in the penalty count in the opening stanza and still managed to dictate terms.
With the contest barely past the quarter-hour mark, the Cowboys were all at sea as the Panthers bolted to a 14-0 lead inside 22 minutes.
A fifth-minute Maloney penalty opened the scoring before two tries in six minutes rocked the Cowboys.
Fijian sensation Viliame Kikau ran a superb line off Maloney to cross in the 16th minute and when Maloney touched down after Cowboys champion Thurston fumbled a kick through, North Queensland were in real trouble.
The Cowboys need to address their attitude to the fundamentals. McLean simply dropped the ball cold in the ruck in the 20th minute. A short time later, Morgan was caught on the last tackle attacking the Penrith line.
On current form, Morgan can’t be chosen at the Queensland scrumbase for Origin I. The pivot looks out of sorts and is clearly still finding his groove after missing the opening fortnight with an abdominal strain. He needs to lift quickly to put pressure on Maroons rivals Cameron Munster, Ben Hunt and Daly Cherry-Evans.
Cowboys fullback Ben Hampton, who made nine tackle busts, tried to lift his side after the break, but the Panthers were always in control.
Premierships aren’t won in March but seasons can be derailed by April. Green needs to find some answers quickly.
PENRITH 33 (W Blake V Kikau M Leota J Maloney tries J Maloney 8 goals J Maloney field goal) bt NORTH QUEENSLAND 14 (K Feldt 2 A Winterstein tries J Thurston goal) at 1300 SMILES Stadium. Referee: Gavin Badger, Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski. Crowd: 11,907
Originally published as Penrith outmuscle North Queensland 33-14 as Cowboys shocking start continues