NRL round 20: North Queensland Cowboys defeat Canterbury Bulldogs 20-18

The Cowboys edged out the Bulldogs to pick up a crucial victory at home and remain narrowly inside the top eight with a number of sides breathing down their neck.

Jaxon Purdue was North Queensland’s hero on Sunday night, finishing off a spectacular match-winning try in the 70th minute to beat the Bulldogs 20-18 after a brutal 80-minute arm wrestle.

The Bulldogs led the Cowboys for most of the match but never took a commanding lead despite the brilliance of Matt Burton at five-eighth and it was North Queensland’s No.6 Tom Dearden who tore the game open with a trademark linebreak.

Dearden drew fullback Connor Tracey and found 18-year-old Purdue and the Norths Devils Mackay junior had the pace to pull away from his pursuers and score the second try of his fledgling NRL career.

The Bulldogs had carried a narrow lead into the break after a very solid and controlled performance.

Halfback Toby Sexton stamped his authority on the match with two try assists from kicks in the first half, making the most of his limited attacking opportunities in the red zone.

18-year-old Jaxon Purdue scores his 2nd NRL try and what a time to score it! 😍

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A Blake Wilson sin bin minutes into the second half opened the door for North Queensland to strike and Dearden found Heilum Luki for his second try of the match and his second career double.

The Bulldogs fought back to take a narrow lead which they held for most of the second stanza until Dearden and Purdue combined to send them home empty-handed.

CRITTA ALMOST CRUSHED

Stephen Crichton had an injury scare in the first half. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

The Bulldogs collectively held their breath 15 minutes into the game when captain Stephen Crichton succumbed to what appeared to be a shoulder injury.

After a three-minute delay where the NSW centre was assessed by medical staff on the field, he got up to play the ball and played on.

“He’s in real discomfort, Stephen Crichton. (But) there’s some movement in the arm now,” Fox League commentator Matt Russell said as Crichton bravely continued through the pain.

There was more concern when Viliame Kikau spun out of an attempted tackle and remained on the ground in the late stages of the first half after clashing knees with Harry Edwards.

After an on-field assessment, the barnstorming backrower gingerly got up and finished the half with some additional strapping to his right leg.

COWBOYS EDGES STAND UP

Heilum Luki celebrates after scoring a try. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

North Queensland enjoyed success down both edges with left backrower Luki and right centre Viliami Vailea both having excellent games.

The dangerous duo combined for 12 tackle breaks as they caused nightmares for the Canterbury-Bankstown defence for 80 minutes.

Luki has found some of the best form of his career in recent weeks and his tryscoring double was just desserts for another great showing.

COWBOYS: 20 (H. Luki (2), J. Purdue tries; V. Holmes (4) goals)

BULLDOGS: 18 (J. Curran, B. Xerri, J. Kiraz tries; M. Burton (3) goals)