Behind The Moment: The blue-collar battler who out-pointed the $1m superstar

Former Cowboys star Kalyn Ponga was one play away from knocking North Queensland out of the NRL finals ... enter the blue-collar battler from Mackay. Watch the moment that decided the all-time classic finals game.

Just when you think the superstars will deliver the magical moment ... hello Reuben Cotter.

He is the heartbeat of the Cowboys and when North Queensland needed a hero to break the deadlock in this gripping sudden-death affair against Newcastle in Townsville, it was Cotter who said Good Knight.

The Cowboys march on imperiously in this finals race. The braveheart Knights are out, 28-16, and it was only fitting that the Cowboy who works harder than anyone, Relentless Reuben, was on the spot to plunge the dagger.

Eyebrows were raised when Cowboys coach Todd Payten dumped Jason Taumalolo and Chad Townsend as co-captains in pre-season and handed the roles to Cotter and Tom Dearden.

Talk about vindication. The script was as romantic as it was resounding. Both co-captains stepped up with the one-two punch to floor a plucky Newcastle side inspired by Kalyn Ponga, who was magnificent and almost single-handedly propelled his side to victory.

Reuben Cotter celebrates his match-winning try. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

Sudden-death matches are about battles of will; icing the big moments.

When the clutch moment arrived in the 73rd minute, there was Queensland Origin workaholic Cotter.

Always busy. Always alert. Always working. Always alive.

Cotter is not a man for headlines and histrionics but the match-winning moment was a victory for a tireless terrier who has overcome the trauma of three knee reconstructions to save his career.

Ironically, it was one of his reconstructed ACLs which played a role in Cotter’s clincher.

Scores were locked 16-all. Seven minutes to go. The final was on a knife’s edge when hooker Reece Robson sliced through and raced upfield. Within seconds, Jake Clifford put up a kick and amid the desperate scramble, the ball spewed back towards Cotter.

The Steeden cannoned off his reconstructed knee and propelled into the Knights in-goal.

This was it. Ponga was there. Cotter was there.

A battle of wills. Queensland Origin teammates. The champion and the little engine that could.

Who wanted it more?

Never in doubt.

Ponga reached out. But Cotter beat him by a split second to touch down, giving the Cowboys a crucial 22-16 lead before Dearden dummied through 60 seconds from time to bury the Knights.

“Reuben Cotter was incredible,” NRL legend Cooper Cronk said on Fox. “He just never stops.”

Kalyn Ponga was like a one-man army for Newcastle. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

As wonderful as Cotter was, Ponga was unbelievable.

The former Cowboys young gun was in an intoxicating mood. He set up a try in the 22nd minute before Ponga beat Dearden and surged clear 10 minutes from time with scores level at 16-all.

Incredibly, Dane Gagai spilled Ponga’s pass with the tryline beckoning. The Cowboys got their stay of execution. And while Ponga will rue fluffing the conversion to break a 16-all deadlock, the Knights skipper should be proud of one of the finest displays of his career.

Ultimately, finals are won on heart and hunger. Reuben Cotter possesses both in lethal doses.

Originally published as Behind The Moment: The blue-collar battler who out-pointed the $1m superstar