Rollercoaster 48-30 NRL win exposes best and worst of 2024 North Queensland Cowboys
The Cowboys delivered a rocks and diamonds performance for the ages in the eight-tries-to-six win, and the club’s injury woes worsened with another forward going down. Read the latest.
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North Queensland’s 48-30 rollercoaster win over the Wests Tigers on Thursday night exposed the best and worst of the Cowboys in 2024.
The eight-tries-to-six victory was barely the statement victory fans were hoping for, but the two competition points allowed the Cowboys to leapfrog Manly into fifth place all the same.
The Cowboys fell off far too many vital tackles – missing 29 and making 19 that were ineffective – and conceding three tries while having a man advantage was unacceptable for a first grade side.
Murray Taulagi scored the most casual NRL hat-trick you will ever see as North Queensland’s left edge tore the Tigers to shreds, but that same edge was woeful defensively in the second half and almost allowed the undermanned hosts back into the contest.
Cowboys coach Todd Payten said as much after the match, conceding he had “mixed feelings” about the win and the way Valentine Holmes let his defence slip.
“After the send-off (Holmes) was one of a few players that didn’t concentrate hard enough,” Payten said.
“We went into halftime with an eight-point lead. Disappointed with that try just prior to halftime.
“Then the send-off happened, we scored a couple of quick tries and went to sleep, so (I’m) a little disappointed with some periods there when they were down to 12 men.
“But I’m just happy we came down – it’s a tough place to play for us traditionally – and got the points.”
North Queensland has conceded more points on average than any other team in the top eight and co-captain Tom Dearden said the congested state of the ladder meant every point would count.
“At this time of the year and how bunched the ladder is, I think every week’s important and it’s good to get a win down here,” Dearden said.
“We knew what was at stake and how important every week is heading into the finals time.”
When Tigers centre Justin Olam was controversially sent off with half an hour to play it looked like the Cowboys could put some work into improving their points differential, but they only outscored Wests 28-16 from that point.
Payten said Heilum Luki was lucky to escape without major injury after taking the full force of Olam’s shoulder to the chin.
“Heilum is okay but he’s very fortunate he hasn’t got a broken jaw, (Olam) flushed him right on the end of his chin,” Payten said.
“Heilum’s a big body, I don’t think Justin’s that big, so I thought it was the right call.
“I said it initially, straight (away) in the box. I don’t know how the referees missed it right at that very moment, it had to be referred to by the Bunker.
“There’s a touchie right there and the referee, he called play-on, so I thought it was the right call in the end.”
The Cowboys return home in round 23 to take on the Brisbane Broncos on Saturday, August 10. Kick-off is at 5.30pm
COWBOYS INJURY WOES CONTINUE AS GRANVILLE GOES DOWN
The Cowboys’ forward injury woes continued with fan-favourite Jake Granville succumbing to a pectoral injury at halftime of the 48-30 win over the Tigers.
Granville played just 15 minutes from the interchange and did not return from the break with coach Todd Payten revealing early signs were not positive.
“Things aren’t looking great. Strained pec at least, so he’ll be missing for a while. He’ll go for a scan and fingers crossed we get some good news out of him,” Payten said.
“He’s as tough as we’ve got. Just his service to the club and the game, he’s one of the good guys.
“He’s a North Queenslander though and through who puts his teammates and himself first. He’d do anything for anyone within our club and town, so fingers crossed he gets some good news.”
Granville’s incredible toughness was on display not long ago when he played more than 70 minutes after tearing his biceps in round 13 against the Roosters.
With only five weeks until finals and being off-contract next year, a serious injury could spell the end of the 35-year-old’s 12 seasons in the NRL.
Cowboys co-captain Tom Dearden said the squad would get around Granville no matter what.
“Jake epitomises what our club’s about and I know the boys will all get around him,” Dearden said.
“He hasn’t gone for scans yet or anything but whatever the news is, he’s been a great teammate and we’ll all get around him no matter what happens.”
Payten said the Cowboys’ depth forwards would have to stand up if called upon.
“Sam McIntyre has been really strong for us for a long time. Tom Mikaele hasn’t played a lot of footy in the past month and I thought he carried the ball strong,” Payten said.
“If we want to be successful, it’s the whole squad that has got to stand up throughout the course of the season and I think for the most part we’ve done that across the 26, 27 players that we’ve used.”
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Originally published as Rollercoaster 48-30 NRL win exposes best and worst of 2024 North Queensland Cowboys
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