The North Queensland Cowboys Holden Cup side have tonight run away in the second half to record a 46-20 victory over the Bulldogs at ANZ Stadium.
There were a couple of changes to the side with Tyrone Phillips and Alex Sorge coming into the side with Marcelo Montoya and Brendan Cox the men to drop out of the side.
An early penalty gave the Bulldogs good field position and the chance to attack and after the nice dummy-half run from Brad Keighran the Cowboys were on the back foot. On the next play a shift to right saw Shaun Lane run a good line and the back rower crashed over to score. Keighran couldn’t convert and the score was 4-nil after as many minutes.
The flow quickly turned and it was the Cowboys who ran in three tries in eight minutes to jump out to a 12-point lead. Fullback Yamba Bowie sliced through the ruck to score the first try whilst centre Akeripa Tia Kilifi cruised over for the next two after some slack right edge defence from the young pups. Back rower Corey Jensen had the kicking duties and was able to give the visitors a 16-4 lead.
It was then the young pups who had the momentum, crossing for two tries in three minutes to level it all up. Jake Kamire burrowed his way over under the uprights to score whilst winger Dujuan Lioevave managed to sneak over in the north-east corner. Keighran converted both tries to bring the scores level at 16-all.
That right side defence for the Bulldogs was struggling with the Cowboys left winger Conor Carey going over to score in the south-east corner in the 29th minute. Jensen couldn’t convert with the lead now 20-16, which it remained until the half-time break.
It was the Cowboys who earned the first penalty of the second half and from there they were on the attack. With the greasy conditions causing some trouble around the ruck it was interchange forward Ben Mathiou who crashed over just to the left of the uprights for the visitors. Jensen converted, extending the Cowboys lead out to 26-16 after 45 minutes.
Interchange hooker Delayne Ashby was next to score when he burrowed over next to the uprights. Jensen converted to extend the lead out to 32-16.
Halfback Guy Hamilton scored a runaway try in the 71st to give the home side a glimmer of hope but Keighran couldn’t convert with the score staying at 32-20.
The Cowboys were then able to convert a penalty goal attempt to put the lead out beyond the two converted tries but they then ran in two further tries through front rower Patrick Kaufusi and hooker Josh Chudleigh. Jensen converted both to give the Cowboys a 46-20 victory.
COWBOYS 46 (Bowie, Tia Kilifi 2, Carey, Mathiou, Ashby, Kaufusi, Chudleigh Tries; Jensen 7 Goals)
Def.
BULLDOGS 20 (Lane, Kamire, Liolevave, Hamilton Tries; Keighran 2 Goals)
At: ANZ Stadium
