Cowboys Ride High for JT’s 200th

The North Queensland Cowboys have stamped their quality onto the NRL competition with a strong 42-10 win over the Sydney Roosters in front of just over 15,000 fans at 1300Smiles Stadium.

The game started absolutely perfectly for the Cowboys with Kane Linnett crossing out wide in the first minute although as per usual it needed to be signed off by the video referees.

The Cowboys then extended their lead 10 minutes later, when Johnathan Thurston kicked a penalty goal to push the score out to 6-0.

The Roosters weren't having a good night with the bounce of the ball and again it cost them with Tariq Sims taking advantage of the bounce of the steeden to race through and again score for the Cowboys.

At this stage the Cowboys were racing the clock in the amounts of points scored and less than 5 minutes later, the Cowboys scored again with Kane Linnett getting his second try and the Roosters opened up an 18-0 lead after 18 minutes.

The Roosters then hit their gears momentarily with a 100m set of six that was started by Anthony Minichello getting away from his own goalline and saw him rewarded with the 4 points.

The Roosters looked like they had a second try through Anthony Minichello again however this time was called back by the Video Referees after a knock on from Daniel Tupou was spotted.

The Cowboys added another two points to the score and then minutes later the star of the night Johnathan Thurston in his 200th game, scored for the Cowboys to take the score out to 24-6.

On the stroke of half time the Cowboys extended the lead through Matthew Wright and following an excellent conversion from Johnathan Thurston they lead 30-6.

The second half was a lot quieter for the scoreboard attendants with tries to Brent Tate in the 60th minute and Kane Linnett got his hat trick in the 72nd minute; However the try of the second half belonged to Daniel Mortimer who was set up by a beautiful Roger Tuivasa-Sheck step and kick to score just before full time.

The news wasn't all good for the Cowboys with Gavin Cooper suffering from a dislocated hip and Cameron King being carried off the field with a knee injury.

Next weekend both sides will be depleted due to origin stars being out, Cowboys travel to Canberra to take on the Raiders, whilst the Roosters take on the Bulldogs next Friday night.

NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS (42)
Tries: Kane Linnett (3), Johnathan Thurston, Tariq Sims, Matthew Wright, Brent Tate
Field Goals:
Conversions: Johnathan Thurston (5/7)
Penalty Goals: Johnathan Thurston (2/2)

SYDNEY ROOSTERS (10)
Tries: Anthony Minichiello, Daniel Mortimer
Field Goals:
Conversions: James Maloney (1/2)
Penalty Goals:

TEAM CHANGES: The Cowboys side with a number of changes - Ray Thompson, Jason Taumalolo both OUT, Robert Lui comes in for Thompson & Scott Bolton starts in place of Taumalolo and Glen Hall comes on to the bench in Jersey 18

TEAM CHANGES: The Roosters are 1-17

1: VIDEO REFEREE: Checking a possible Kane Linnett try - Shayne Hayne says TRY, Checking onside, knock-ons and groundings

1: TRY NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Scored by Kane Linnett. Kick to come.
Video Refs give the green lights to Kane Linnett for his try, poor start for the defending premiers

UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Conversion attempt by Johnathan Thurston unsuccessful.
JT can't convert from out wide

7: Roosters get another set of six after Shayne Hayne ruled that Robert Lui played at a James Maloney kick

8: PENALTY ROOSTERS: Roosters try a quick play the ball and the Cowboys are penalised

8: PENALTY COWBOYS: An old fashioned shepherd penalised by Shayne Hayne and relieves pressure on the Cowboys

10: PENALTY COWBOYS: Jared Waerea-Hargreaves is penalised for not making a genuine attempt to make a tackle on Robert Lui

10: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Penalty goal attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
Johnathan Thurston has no problems slotting the penalty goal

12: VIDEO REFEREE: Checking a possible Tariq Sims try, checking the onside with Shayne Hayne giving us the 'T'

12: TRY NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Scored by Tariq Sims. Kick to come.
Never trust the bouncing steeden - well that is what the Roosters need to learn after 2 bad bounces favour the Cowboys and Tariq Sims scores under the posts

14: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Conversion attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
Johnathan Thurston converts from infront

18: TRY NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Scored by Kane Linnett. Kick to come.
Some good work by Rory Kostjasyn sees the ball go to Johnathan Thurston who gives it to Kane Linnett to go untouched over the tryline

18: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Conversion attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
Johnathan Thurston slots it through the middle of the posts

21: TRY SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Scored by Anthony Minichiello. Kick to come.
Anthony Minichello has stepped up for the Roosters, started the attacking raid from his own tryline and then 6 tackles later scores in the corner

21: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Conversion attempt by James Maloney successful.
James Maloney swings the ball through the goal posts and extends the lead

23: VIDEO REFEREE: Does Mini have a second? Shayne Hayne says he doesn't, checking a possible knock on from Daniel Tupou

23: NO TRY the ruling from the men upstairs, knock on by Daniel Tupou the ruling

25: PENALTY COWBOYS: Roosters penalised deep inside their own half and JT will take a penalty attempt

26: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Penalty goal attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
Johnathan Thurston converts the penalty

28: UNFORCED ERROR SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Daniel Tupou makes an unforced error.
Daniel Tupou flies high but mistimes his jump and knocks the ball on from a James Maloney bomb

32: Brent Tate down with a knee injury, limps back into the defensive line but not looking that good

33: VIDEO REFEREE: Upstairs we go.... AGAIN - Adam Gee signals a try, checking a possible knock on - JT the possible scorer

34: TRY NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Scored by Johnathan Thurston. Kick to come.
Johnathan Thurston scores in his 200th game for the Cowboys - again the kick costs the Roosters

36: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Conversion attempt by Johnathan Thurston unsuccessful.
JT in to the wind Bends It Like Beckham well a bit differently but he hits the post

40: Could this first half get any worse for the Roosters - they throw a forward pass inside their own 10m

40: TRY NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Scored by Matthew Wright. Kick to come.
Well defensively he's not had a great night, but he gets himself on the scoreboard for the Cowboys, great lead up play to set it up

40: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Conversion attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
JT tries the fade on the kick and gets it through off the upright

40: HALFTIME at 1300Smiles Stadium with the home side having total control in this one, they lead 30-6

40: The Roosters are in all sorts tonight, Cowboys on the attack after the Roosters let the kick off bounce

41: Michael Morgan with some good play forces a repeat set after trapping the Roosters ingoal

44: Some good defence from the Roosters sees them get their first touch of the Second Half

45: Six more tackles for the Cowboys just creates more pressure on the Roosters

48: More good defence from the Roosters

49: Again the Roosters let the ball bounce however no problems this time for them

50: Bad news for Roosters and possibly NSW fans with Boyd Cordner off the field suffering from Syndesmosis

52: Well lets go for a 90m stroll back down the other end after the Video Referee Steve Clark finds a penalty against Roger Tuivasa-Sheck for a high tackle & he's ON REPORT

52: Gavin Cooper goes close to scoring and in saying that hasn't moved on the ground

52: Bad news for the Cowboys and Gavin Cooper - medicab on the field, down with a knee injury

53: JT tries a grubber and its SKD who cleans it up

55: UNFORCED ERROR SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck makes an unforced error.
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck drops the ball for the Roosters

57: Roosters try to attack on the last and get tackled on the last

58: Fox Sports reporting that Gavin Cooper has suffered a DISLOCATED HIP

60: TRY NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Scored by Brent Tate. Kick to come.
Some brilliant work from JT, sets up some great work from Matthew Wright and on the next play, Brent Tate scores for the Cowboys

61: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Conversion attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
Johnathan Thurston converts from next to the posts to extend the Cowboys lead

63: UNFORCED ERROR NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Johnathan Thurston makes an unforced error.
Well nobody's perfect - JT drops the ball trying to catch a pass deep inside the Roosters half

65: Anthony Minichello puts a grubber in on the third but no problems from the Cowboys in cleaning it up

69: UNFORCED ERROR SYDNEY ROOSTERS
James Maloney makes an unforced error.
Some great pressure from the Cowboys forces James Maloney on to his weaker foot and with the kick he puts it out on the full

71: UNFORCED ERROR SYDNEY ROOSTERS
James Maloney makes an unforced error.
How can things go from worse? Well the Roosters are managing it, James Maloney throws a forward pass from dummy half on his on 10m line

72: TRY NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Scored by Kane Linnett. Kick to come.
Kane Linnett gets his THIRD try of the night, some great attack from the Cowboys sets it up again

74: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Conversion attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
Absolutely no issues on the conversions from Johnathan Thurston and the lead grows again

75: PENALTY ROOSTERS: JWH penalised for a shoulder to the head, somewhat surprisingly not on report

76: JT puts one of his worst kicks of the night in, puts it dead and gives the Roosters 7 tackles from the 20m

76: Cameron King down and looks to be a serious injury, few profanities summing up the situation

77: Repeat set for the Cowboys, after a deft kick from Robert Lui is forced dead by the Roosters

79: TRY SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Scored by Daniel Mortimer. Kick to come.
Well the Roosters save the brilliance for the 78th minute, RTS puts on an amazing step to beat the Cowboys defence and then puts a kick in that Daniel Mortimer scores with

79: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Conversion attempt by James Maloney unsuccessful.
James Maloney hits the post with the conversion

80: FULL TIME at 1300 Smiles Stadium - The North Queensland Cowboys have defeated the Sydney Roosters by 42 points to 10