NRL Match Review & Judiciary Charges: 2024 Round 2
4 days ago | LeagueUnlimited Media
The Cowboys have ran away with a 32-16 win over a brave Titans outfit tonight in front of over 21,000 fans.
North Queensland have now secured a spot in the Top 4 whilst Titans fans will be praying the Tigers fall tomorrow afternoon when they host the Raiders.
With a Top Four and Top Eight spot on the line for the Cowboys and Titans respectively both sides opened this clash with high intensity. And in the 5th minute Justin O'Neill proved too desperate for the Titans, leaping over the pack to grasp a Coote bomb and cross over for the first of the night. Deputising for the injured Anthony Don many Titans fans were looking forward to the sight of David Mead in full flight, yet a concussion in the 8th minute left the speedy winger dazed.
A string of penalties and errors would give the Cowboys crucial field possession and the rampaging Jason Taumalolo would barge through for several barnstorming runs with the Titans looking vulnerable in defence in the middle. Yet, once defending their line the Titans held on bravely but were unable to stop Antonio Winterstein from cleaning up a Hayne error off a Coote grubber to extend his side's lead in the 20th minute.
The Cowboys continued to threaten with Michael Morgan impersonating Taumalolo with impressive line breaks of his own, but it was the Titans' resilience that would be the talking point of the first half as they held out a persistent Cowboys side. And they were rewarded for their efforts in the 32nd minute. Mead somehow returned to the field, passing his concussion test, and to the delight of the Gold Coast fans he would steal a Nathan Friend bomb to reduce the margin to just six.
In the end the Titans would head into the sheds only down by six, confident with a remarkable defensive effort in holding out a Cowboys team who looked likely to run away with the clash early.
West Tigers fans would be nervously waiting for the second half as their team's season went on the line and they would rejoice in the 45th minute as Gavin Cooper would slice through to extend his side's lead to twelve. A big hole would open up in the 51st minute for Thurston only for a hand from the Titans denying the halfback a try that would have likely sealed the victory. A consequent penalty would gift Thurston with two points to make it 20-6 moments later. Yet, when the Titans looked finished, a penalty would see Friend link with Ryan James who would barge over to put the Titans back in it.
Despite their bravery, James Tamou would seemingly put the game beyond the Titans' reach after a change of angle by Coote would see him set up his third try of the night in the 65th minute. Coote would set up the next try again, yet it would be for his opponents, with Konrad Hurrell intercepting a wayward pass by the Cowboys fullback and running eighty metres to score.
Gavin Cooper, however, would put an exclamation mark on the win with a deserved double in the 78th minute to secure a 32-16 victory. With the win the Cowboys have wrapped up a Top 4 spot and take on the Storm at AAMI Park for a chance to go straight through to the Preliminary Finals whilst the Titans now have a nervous wait as the Tigers look to overtake them tomorrow afternoon when they face the Raiders.
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