Clinical Cowboys obliterate Roosters

v BYE

A masterful performance from the reigning premiers tonight has seen the Roosters on the end of a 40-0 scoreline in front of 8,000 fans in a wet and windy Townsville.

The Cowboys dominated most statistical categories and had the lion's share of the possession in a massively one-sided contest. Taking an 18-0 lead into halftime, they went on with the job in a big way after the change of ends, racking up 22 more unanswered points and leaving last year's J.J. Giltinan Shield winners without a positive result in their first three games.

Little time was wasted in the first half with the home side gaining the ascendency through two early tries, in both cases shifting play to the left to catch the Roosters' right side defence napping. Kane Linnett and Antonio Winterstein both got their names on the scoresheet with Thurston converting both for a 12-0 lead.

The visitors managed to hold fast for the remainder of the half - until the 40th minute. Cowboys custodian Lachlan Coote found his way to the line right before the siren, in the process driving an arrow through the heart of the Roosters at the worst possible time.

The Cowboys started the second half slowly with just one try in the first twenty minutes, scored by Scott Bolton. However, the real landslide of scoring took place from the 65th minute, with the hosts piling on three tries to round out the contest with a nice, neat 40-0 scoreline. Michael Morgan, Jason Taumalolo and Kyle Feldt all crossed while Thurston converted all bar one of the premiers' tries on the night.

A third loss to open the season and a -40 blast to their differential weren't the Roosters' only troubles on a wet and wild night in the tropics - Dale Copley suffered a pectoral injury in the first half which looks likely to sideline him for several months, while Ian Henderson was treated by ambulance after the final siren after sustaining a severe leg injury.

The Roosters now must regather before heading home to host Manly in 9 days time at Allianz Stadium, while for the Cowboys all focus turns to the Grand Final re-match against 2015 runners-up, Brisbane next Friday night.