Inside the moment Jaxon Purdue scored Cowboys NRL matchwinner

Go inside the moment 18-year-old Cowboys rookie Jaxon Purdue latched onto a pass and raced away to deliver North Queensland a famous comeback win. Read what he had to say in the sheds.

Jaxon Purdue scores the matchwinning try for the North Queensland Cowboys against Canterbury Bulldogs. Picture: NRL Imagery

When Cowboys rookie Jaxon Purdue saw Tom Dearden tuck the ball under his arm and charge towards the Bulldogs defence on Sunday night, he felt that something incredible was about to happen.

Still days away from his 19th birthday, the fresh-faced kid from Mackay knew he had to find a hit of energy deep in his reserves and start working his heavy legs into action.

North Queensland was trailing 18-14 with just 10 minutes to play after a gruelling arm wrestle with the Bulldogs and the Cowboys’ season was teetering on the edge.

As soon as Reed Mahoney made the fateful decision to go high on Dearden, allowing the Maroons five-eighth to shrug out of the tackle, Purdue hit the gas.

“To be honest I knew Tommy was going to get the ball at some stage, he does that week in week out for us,” Purdue said.

Despite his strong showings in the NRL, Purdue will likely make way for Murray Taulagi next week. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

“I know that when the ball is in Tommy’s hands, just no matter what, support it because he’ll either put me through a hole or he will make a break.

“And that’s what I did, I supported him and luckily he found me for the try – but that was all Tommy, that’s just what he does.

“I get a lot of confidence when I have someone like Tommy inside me and someone like Valentine Holmes outside me. It’s crazy to think.”

A late tweak to the team sheet saw Purdue switch with Holmes from the wing to centre, though that was always Todd Payten’s plan to replace the injured Murray Taulagi.

North Queensland Cowboys celebrate Jaxon Purdue's matchwinning try against the Bulldogs. Picture: NRL Imagery

The Cowboys coach praised his rookie talent for plugging a hole but said it was unlikely Purdue would keep the Samoan international out of the team if Taulagi returns as expected for the Sharks in round 21.

“I think he’s high-end talent. He’s never played centre before his first grade debut,” Payten said.

“I just wanted to get him in the team, to be fair, and I thought Val (Holmes) did a really good job on Wednesday night on the wing (for Queensland) and at one stage for a long time he was the best winger in the game.

Murray Taulagi is expected to make his return from a hamstring injury against the Cronulla Sharks in round 21. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

“Murray Taulagi is a very, very good player and he’s got to be in the team somewhere.

“The medical team have done a great job, he made a smart decision around the Origin on Wednesday, not to go down, and look after his hamstring and make sure he’s giving the best opportunity to play next week.”

Pushed on whether Purdue could find a role somewhere in the matchday 17, Payten said it was unlikely because he needed to carry a backrower on the interchange each week.

“At the moment we probably aren’t a team who has two backrowers who can punch out 80 minutes,” Payten explained.

The Cowboys host the Cronulla Sharks on Saturday, kick-off is at 5.30pm.

Originally published as Inside the moment Jaxon Purdue scored Cowboys NRL matchwinner