Match Centre

It was a tough finish for the Cowboys, the Rabbitohs threw everything they had at them, but in the end the Cowboys early lead was too much to overcome.

North Queensland Cowboys 20-18

The grubber on the last is too big, and the Rabbitohs watch it over the dead ball line. The Rabbitohs look very tired though.

North Queensland Cowboys 20-18

Morgan chimes into the backline, but his angle is to shallow and he is easy pickings for the defense.

North Queensland Cowboys 20-18

Zero tackle for the Cowboys, and they'll start it on the Rabbitohs 30 metre line.

North Queensland Cowboys 20-18

Last play, and the Rabbitohs grubber into the in goal, but the kick is slightly too big. Thurston watches it over the dead ball line.

North Queensland Cowboys 20-18

Rabbitohs desperately on attack, trying to take the lead for the first time in this game.

North Queensland Cowboys 20-18

It's been a rocks and diamonds day for Winterstein. He's just attempted to defuse a bomb, but it bounced out of his arms and almost into the lap of Ben Te'o. The Rabbitohs will get a scrum feed 20 metres from the Cowboys line.

North Queensland Cowboys 20-18

Well, it looked like Thurston had kicked a 40/20, but the touch judge has ruled that it was just inside the 20. Tough call.

North Queensland Cowboys 20-18

Linnett brings the ball out of his danger zone, but he picked Sam Burgess to run at, and got belted.

North Queensland Cowboys 20-18

Cowboys attacking the Souths line now. Curtis Rona put a step on and almost wound up under the posts, but was dragged down by Dave Tyrrell. On the last, the Cowboys force the line drop out.

North Queensland Cowboys 20-12

Injury update, McQueen has been diagnosed as having a syndesmosis injury, or high ankle sprain. He won't be back tonight.

North Queensland Cowboys 20-12

Some great work from Winterstein again a few sets later, as he drills his way into three defenders to fight himself back into the field of play.

North Queensland Cowboys 20-12

Sutton kicks high on the last - Winterstein took it neatly, and then just managed to stay in the field of play. Just.

North Queensland Cowboys 20-12

Play is stopped while Glenn Hall gets some treatment for a cut above his eye. Meanwhile, McQueen has gone straight up the tunnel.

North Queensland Cowboys 20-12

The Rabbitohs almost score down the right, but they can't hold onto the ball. Let off for the Cowboys.

North Queensland Cowboys 20-12

McQueen has hurt his lower leg somehow in that tackle.

North Queensland Cowboys 20-12

The Rabbitohs are only a few metres out from the tryline now - Reynolds grubbers in behind the line, but Winterstein stumbles as he picks it up. The Cowboys will drop the ball out.

North Queensland Cowboys 20-12

The Cowboys get penalised again, this time it's for a strip with two men in the tackle. The Bunnies try to take the quick tap, but they're brought back.

North Queensland Cowboys 20-12

Jason Clark has crashed his way through a pile of defence, and looks to have scored under the posts. We're going to the video referee to check the double movement. It looks like a try, momentum seems to have pushed him over.

North Queensland Cowboys 20-6

The Cowboys are penalised for laying over the tackle for too long. The Rabbitohs have the chance to put some pressure on now.

North Queensland Cowboys 20-6

Ashton Sims runs the ball up, and there are a pile of Burgess boys there to belt him. Nice bit of heat in that.

North Queensland Cowboys 20-6

Koroisau darts from dummy half looking to catch the defence napping, but he runs straight at both Sims boys, and they belt the ball loose.

North Queensland Cowboys 20-6

We're back underway in the second half. Reynolds starts us off by kicking deep downfield.

North Queensland Cowboys 20-6

Souths have the final possession to take the game to half time. The Cowboys lead 20-6 in a heated affair.

North Queensland Cowboys 20-6

A bit of a scuffle breaks out, with Sam Burgess and Ashton Sims pushing each other around a bit, after what looked like a high tackle on Thurston. The Cowboys are penalised, with Ashton Sims penalised for instigating.

North Queensland Cowboys 20-6

Some solid Cowboys defence drags Burgess down close to the line, and the Cowboys survive an attacking raid.

North Queensland Cowboys 20-6

The Cowboys are penalised now, as Reynolds is tackled twice in the one play. The second effort draws the penalty, and the Rabbitohs will attack from deep in the Cowboys danger zone.

North Queensland Cowboys 20-6

The Cowboys send the ball out to the right, but the pass from Thurston drops short of the mark. On the last, Thurston kicks into the in goal, and Inglis is trapped in the in goal.

North Queensland Cowboys 18-6

Another Video Referee decision coming up - Matthew Wright looks to have scored on the right of the field, after Curtis Rona taps the ball back inside from the sideline right into the chest of Wright. Nothing wrong with it from what we can see.

North Queensland Cowboys 14-6

The Rabbitohs are ten metres from the Cowboys line on the last. The kick floats into the in goal, and Matthew Wright brings the ball out to the 20 metre line.

North Queensland Cowboys 14-6

Cowboys on the attack now. They kick high towards Alex Johnston, but he's up to the task and cleans it up neatly. 2 tackles later, the Bunnies are helped out of their line by a penalty.

North Queensland Cowboys 14-6

But Thurston gets the let off, as the Rabbitohs spill the ball on the first tackle.

North Queensland Cowboys 14-6

The Rabbitohs put up a bomb on the last, but Thurston drops it cold. The Rabbitohs will get the scrum feed in great attacking position.

North Queensland Cowboys 14-6

We're going to the video referee to check for a possible obstruction. It looks like the Rabbitohs have opened their account for the evening though. Kosjasyn rushed out of the line to put pressure on the halfback, but he was ineffectual. Looks like a try to me.

North Queensland Cowboys 14-0

Penalty to the Rabbitohs, and Reynolds kicks for touch. They'll take the tap 35 metres from the Cowboys' line.

North Queensland Cowboys 14-0

Merritt has fallen into a tackle here, and copped a bit of a knee in the head. Accidental, but that doesn't make it hurt any less.

North Queensland Cowboys 14-0

Reynolds kicks high, but Winterstein makes an absolute mess of it. He tried to keep a foot in the in goal to get a 20 metre restart, but knocks the ball on instead.

North Queensland Cowboys 14-0

The Rabbitohs look a little shell shocked here early. The Cowboys' kick bounces off one of the Burgess boys, and the Rabbitohs will have the first real attacking set of the game.

North Queensland Cowboys 14-0

We're underway at 1300 Smiles Stadium this evening.

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