Cowboys through as Broncos bounce out

The North Queensland Cowboys have extinguished the season of the Brisbane Broncos with a 32-20 win over the Queensland rivals tonight at 1300SMILES Stadium in front of more than 25,000 fans.

Early signs weren't great for the Broncos with the home side racing to a 12-0 lead early through tries to Gavin Cooper and Kane Linnett. Johnathan Thurston's pinpoint goalkicking kept the Cowboys in a strong position as they further enforced their dominance with tries to Robert Lui and then a second for Gavin Cooper, eventually putting the hosts up 24-0 at the halftime break.

Proving the wind direction was having a massive effect on the game, it was Brisbane who stormed out of the blocks in the second half, eventually posting their first points through a Ben Barba try in the 52nd minute. They backed it up moments later with Jordan Kahu crossing to shorten the gap to just 14 points. With twenty left, Kahu nabbed a second four-pointer, but the errant goalkicking success from Corey Parker meant the Broncos were still ten points in arrears despite having posted three unanswered tries in the second half.

With fifteen remaining the Cowboys managed to stem the tide of Broncos' pressure to get a try through Michael Morgan, effectively ending the Broncos chances of a comeback. A penalty goal to push the margin from 16 points to 18 points was successful from Johnathan Thurston a few minutes later - and all Brisbane could muster was a late one through Daniel Vidot to bring the margin to twelve inside the final ten minutes.

The Cowboys held on for a 32-20 victory, thereby knocking the Broncos out of the competition and ending the Brisbane head coaching career of Anthony Griffin. The hosts will travel to Sydney on Friday to face tonight's other losing side, the Sydney Roosters, in an elimination semi final at Allianz Stadium.

NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS (32)
Tries: Gavin Cooper (2), Kane Linnett, Robert Lui, Michael Morgan
Conversions: Johnathan Thurston (5/5)
Penalty Goals: Johnathan Thurston (1/1)

BRISBANE BRONCOS (20)
Tries: Ben Barba, Jordan Kahu (2), Daniel Vidot
Conversions: Corey Parker (2/4)

The first elimination final is here - no second chances from this game onwards. TEAM NEWS has the home side 1-17, while for Brisbane there are a few changes. Jordan Kahu returns to play in the centres (#19). Corey Oates drops back to the bench with Todd Lowrie and David Hala dropping out.

Checked your heart rate folks? What a finish down there in Sydney. Ok here we go at 1300SMILES. The loser disappears for the year, the winner will face the Roosters next week.

2: We are underway, both sides working through their early sets. Cowboys with the better metres, but Thurston puts it out on the full.

4: VIDEO REFEREE possible TRY to the Cowboys for Kyle Feldt. Checking obstruction, checking knock on.

4: NO TRY. Cowboys ruled to have knocked it on in the lead up. Handover Brisbane.

8: TRY NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Scored by Gavin Cooper. Kick to come.
Gavin Cooper crosses out wide after a shifty little dummy before the line.

9: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Conversion attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
Nails it.

10: Penalty in the first set back after the kickoff, Cowboys now attack again.

12: TRY NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Scored by Kane Linnett. Kick to come.
Bam, they go left again and Linnett finds the line.

13: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Conversion attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
And bam, Thurston with another. Early points for the hosts putting Brisbane in a panic zone already.

14: UNFORCED ERROR NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Matthew Scott makes an unforced error.
An error from Scott coming out of his own end. Broncos finally with a chance to shift the momentum.

15: Hodges puts a grubber through as the Broncos threaten the Cowboys' line, but it's too deep. 20m restart.

17: UNFORCED ERROR BRISBANE BRONCOS
Justin Hodges makes an unforced error.
Hodges with a second brain explosion in a matter of minutes, poor play the ball and it's now a Cowboys scrum on the Broncos' 10m.

18: TRY NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Scored by Robert Lui. Kick to come.
Lui grubbers on the last, it's six again after a ricochet, he picks it up... and just tramples over the line. All Cowboys at the moment.

19: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Conversion attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
No trouble for JT from right in front.

21: Cowboys stuff the kickoff, are forced into a drop-out, which JT puts out on the full. Brisbane penalty 10m out!

30: Broncos with a couple of chances but the Cowboys continue to dominate.

33: UNFORCED ERROR NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Ashton Sims makes an unforced error.
Cowboys nearly get there but Ashton Sims spills it trying to collect a JT pass.

34: Penalty Brisbane now... it's building for Brisbane, can they trouble the scoreboard?

35: UNFORCED ERROR BRISBANE BRONCOS
Jordan Kahu makes an unforced error.
Kahu can't take a low offload from Justin Hodges. Cowboys scrum on their own 10m line.

38: VIDEO REFEREE possible Cowboys TRY. Gavin Cooper's scored, but Ben Hunt's started a bit of push and shove post-try so we're checking how and why.

38: TRY NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Scored by Gavin Cooper. Kick to come.
Cooper's try is awarded, all is good. A bit of a warning from the referee about the afters, but that's about it.

38: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Conversion attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
JT from the sideline... four from four. The guy's a freak.

42: We're back underway in Townsville, Cowboys looking to push on after a dominant first 40.

45: Michael Morgan throws an in-goal pass, Thurston spills it and Brisbane are claiming a bizarre try. We're up to the VIDEO REFEREE.

47: It's NO TRY of course, but a Cowboys drop out. Next set we have Martin Kennedy off with what looks like a calf injury.

52: Brisbane gathering momentum but still remain scoreless. Penalty now for interference in the play the ball. Brisbane attack inside the Cowboys' 20m.

52: VIDEO REFEREE possible Broncos TRY to Ben Barba - checking handling and the put-down.

52: TRY BRISBANE BRONCOS
Scored by Ben Barba. Kick to come.
Barba has scored, about 10m in from touch. Finally the Broncos are on the board.

53: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION BRISBANE BRONCOS
Conversion attempt by Corey Parker unsuccessful.
Parker misses the extras.

54: TRY BRISBANE BRONCOS
Scored by Jordan Kahu. Kick to come.
Kahu scores as well, is there a comeback looming?

55: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION BRISBANE BRONCOS
Conversion attempt by Corey Parker successful.
This time Parker's nailed it.

56: Brisbane have messed up the kickoff and are forced into a dropout.

57: Good defence Brisbane, they work it out now after stopping a Cowboys' raid.

58: Broncos break away, Hodges instrumental but a play later Hunt can't get the kick right and loses it forward. Handover.

60: TRY BRISBANE BRONCOS
Scored by Jordan Kahu. Kick to come.
A double for Kahu. In backplay, Justin Hodges is flat on the ground.

61: Tariq Sims has collected Justin Hodges with a shoulder charge... this could get ugly for Tariq, if not now then at the match review committee on Monday.

61: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION BRISBANE BRONCOS
Conversion attempt by Corey Parker unsuccessful.
Parker misses. Goalkicking could cost the visitors tonight.

61: Tariq on report, Hodges is strapped around the head and will play on.

64: UNFORCED ERROR BRISBANE BRONCOS
Justin Hodges makes an unforced error.
Brisbane penalty just short of halfway but two plays later, Hodges spills a Hunt pass.

65: TRY NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Scored by Michael Morgan. Kick to come.
Morgan finds space up the middle close to the line and they can't stop him. That could be the game.

66: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Conversion attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
And another for JT. Margin now 16 with fourteen left.

72: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Penalty goal attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
Penalty Cowboys and the decision is easy. Eats up a minute or so as well...

73: TRY BRISBANE BRONCOS
Scored by Daniel Vidot. Kick to come.
Copley with great hands out wide, Broncos had the numbers. Here comes the late surge.

73: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION BRISBANE BRONCOS
Conversion attempt by Corey Parker successful.
Parker's got it! Game on?

74: Brisbane with six more close to the Cowboys line... but there's an error and Thurston grabs hold of it.

77: Feldt's down injured. Now a replay and BAM there's a melee. Push and shove ensues. Play on Cowboys ball.

78: Cowboys will coast home from here, Brisbane just not threatening enough.

80: Taumalolo has had his jersey ripped apart by an angry Sam Thaiday. Comically, play is held up with 59 seconds left as he gets a new jersey to see out the game in.

80: That's it - season over for the Brisbane Broncos with tonight's loss. The Cowboys advance to play the Sydney Roosters on Friday night at Allianz Stadium.