Cowboys go from second last to top eight in five game winning streak

The North Queensland Cowboys appeared to be dead an buried just a matter of weeks ago but have shot back into premiership contention.

Well done Cowboys. Photo by Tim Allsop/Getty Images

Reports of the North Queensland Cowboys demise were greatly exaggerated as the side moved into the top eight.

The Cowboys hadn’t been in the top eight since round one, but moved into the finals positions after a 19-8 win over the Manly Sea Eagles at 4 Pines Park on Saturday night.

Watch every game of every round of the 2023 NRL Telstra Premiership Season LIVE on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

It’s a remarkable comeback for the Sea Eagles, who may drop back out of the top eight at the end of the round depending on the result of the Eels-Titans game on Sunday evening but will finish the round on 24 points.

However, the Cowboys have turned their season around in spectacular fashion after the side was languishing in 16th place on the ladder after 13 rounds.

The side was pummeled in a record thrashing by the Wests Tigers in round 12 before a 24-16 loss to the Eels in round 13.

But the Cowboys turned their season around during the Origin period, claiming five wins and two byes to put themselves well back in finals — perhaps even top four — reckoning.

Despite the win, Cowboys coach Todd Payten wasn’t getting too far ahead of himself.

“Every win is important for where we sit on the ladder,” Payten said post-match.

“I’m glad we’ve continued to play the same style we started five weeks ago. But we’ve got some really good teams in the next five or six games — Penrith, Sharks, Parra, we’ve got the Broncos — they’re all above us and they’ll be revved up.

“Things are tight and every win’s important.”

The Cowboys are on fire. Photo by Tim Allsop/Getty Images

Once again it was fullback Scott Drinkwater that provided the spark for the visitors, with his high workrate resulting in a key try that proved crucial in sealing the result.

The Sea Eagles were the beneficiaries of a contentious call to allow Lachlan Croker a quick tap despite teammate Ethan Bullemore appearing to be in front of him, from which the Sea Eagles scored from a few plays later.

That got them to within a converted try of the lead, before the star fullback took control with some individual brilliance.

He caught Manly’s middle defenders napping with a flashy right-foot step to bust the line and get across the stripe.

It continues a brilliant season for Drinkwater, who was on the cusp of NSW Blues selection after being named as 18th man, and with performances like he has shown over the past two months, his name will be firmly in the conversation when Origin rolls around next year.

After an Origin series win, the Cowboys’ Queensland contingent brought that energy to their club in a big way.

The five players named in the Maroons 18 on Wednesday night all backed up and showed their class throughout the evening.

Valentine Holmes linked perfectly with Reuben Cotter, while Tom Dearden put Jeremiah Nanai through a gaping hole to wrestle momentum into North Queensland’s favour during a key five-minute period of the first half.

The Cowboys defence has turned the season around. Photo by Tim Allsop/Getty Images

While some teams have opted to rest players the weekend after, it’s a decision that has proven a good one for the Cowboys after they downed the Rabbitohs after the second Origin three weeks ago.

Payten said the Origin period had been good for the team and that even though he’d like to rest players, he’s not in the position to do so “because of the first half of the year”.

The ladder is ludicrously close with potentially only four points separating second and ninth depending on results.

However, the side’s defence is starting to fire as the Cowboys kept their opponents to single digits for the third-straight week.

With Sean Teuma, NCA Newswire

Originally published as Cowboys go from second last to top eight in five game winning streak