Match Centre

The Cowboys have been far too good tonight, winning 36-20.

Murray Taulagi takes the final tackle of the night.

Feldt gets into space - the Knights have really struggled on the edges tonight.

Great work from Granville to put the big man over for a try.

The Cowboys get six again.

This scoreline flatters the Knights - they were able to get back into the contest when the Cowboys were without players.

Simi Sasagi drops the ball.

Six again for the Knights.

Daniel Saifiti has his pants pulled down but can't get to the line.

Kyle Feldt knocks on a Newcastle bomb - the Knights have a chance.

The Knights are struggling to make metres.

The Cowboys win the challenge and maintain possession.

The Cowboys will challenge the call.

Jake Granville loses the ball on halfway.

The Cowboys come up with the ball from a short kick-off.

Holmes is tackled 10 from the Knights line.

The Cowboys get a penalty.

Crossland goes high but Holmes is safe as houses.

No Try - Jake Clifford deemed to have knocked on in the contest.

Javid Bowen is claiming a try - the referee is claiming a knock on in the contest for the bunker to adjudicate.

Sasagi is demonstrating early Benji vibes - loves to attack, but doesn't understand how to manage a game.

The Knights make an error on the first play off the scrum.

Granville fires a forward pass inside his own half - big opportunity here for the Knights.

The Knights drive the Cowboys back in defence.

Jordan McLean loses the ball to let the Knights off the hook - the Cowboys had the visitors shot right there.

The Cowboys make a break down the right.

Simi Sasagi was left grabbing at Holmes.

Kyle Feldt breaks a few tackles and makes a nice bust.

The boy named Sue loses the ball.

The Knights get a six again on the last tackle.

Valentine Holmes fires a pass intended for Taulagi, but the ball travels over the sideline.

Six again for the Cowboys.

Drinkwater puts a high ball up, Clifford tries to regather but can't hold onto the ball.

The winger is having a night to remember - his first career hat-trick.

David Klemmer has wound the clock back to the 1970s by kicking in the scrum!

The original call is upheld - the Knights lose their challenge.

The Knights are challenging the call - I don't like Barnett's chances...

Mitchell Barnett loses the ball on halfway.

Jake Granville is on the field.

Crossland puts a kick up, the Cowboys come up with the ball.

Heilum Luki has been placed on report for a high tackle - no sin bin.

The Knights get a penalty coming out of their end.

Sasagi had a rough start to the game, but he's shown his class to force the re-start and flick pass to To'a.

That is beautiful from the debutante!

Valentine Holmes is driven back in-goal - Blake Green shows his experience with another great kick.

Kurt Mann is met by a few Cowboys' chasers.

Holmes is wrapped up by Frizell and Sasagi.

Tyson Frizell forces an error out of Reece Robson.

Both teams are back to playing with 13 men.

Drinkwater completes the first set of the second half with a high ball gather in by Kurt Mann.

What a turnaround! After trailing 16-0 in even time, the Knights are locked up at 16-all at the break.

Blake Green puts a grubber in only fall the ball to bounce horribly for the Knights.

Heilum Luki is on for his NRL debut.

The Knights will pack a scrum 10 metres out from the Cowboys try line.

Francis Molo is being checked for a head knock.

Kurt Mann puts a kick in and gets a result.

Daniel Saifiti gets within a metre of the line.

Kyle Feldt comes up with an error in his own half.

Valentine Holmes is struggling with a leg issue.

Murray Taulagi comes up with an intercept that saves a try.

The Knights get a penalty after forcing an error out of the Cowboys.

Jason Taumalolo is back on for the home side.

The Knights come up with an error on the attack.

Valentine Holmes loses the ball backwards and manages to regather on his try line.

It's 13 on 11 for the next 5 minutes.

Lachlan Burr concedes a penalty for collecting Jayden Brailey high.

Jacob Saifiti is on for the Knights.

Blake Green places a kick in-goal and gets a result.

Brodie Jones and Connor Watson are on for the visitors.

Tyson Frizell gets a penalty after copping a hit around the head from Taumalolo.

Great work from Crossland and Fitzgibbon to put Sue over.

Kurt Mann has a nervous catch but manages to hold onto the kick.

Javid Bowen makes a nice run nearly to halfway.

Jake Clifford aims a kick for his halves partner, Drinkwater, but the Knights are able to come up with the ball.

Simi Sasagi and Starford To'a were poor in their defensive efforts there.

Cowboys get six again 20 metres out from the Knights line.

No Try - Simi Sasagi is deemed to have impeded Javid Bowen in the lead-up. Cowboys penalty.

Starford To'a is claiming a try - but the referee has sent the play to the bunker as 'No Try'.

Mitchell Barnett is tackled short of the line.

Connelly Lemuelu is placed on report for a tackle on Phoenix Crossland.

The Knights get a set restart on halfway.

Jake Clifford chips and chases, but concedes a penalty for pushing Mitchell Barnett in the back.

Kyle Feldt gets into space but is eventually cut down by Enari Tuala.

The Cowboys get a great result after points with a penalty on the last tackle.

Starford To'a and Simi Sasagi look set for a long night if they don't improve their reads in defence.

The Cowboys make another break down the left edge.

Starford To'a comes up with a try-saving tackles after a Cowboys break.

The Knights almost get a result from Blake Green's bomb, but Holmes comes up with possession.

Sasagi gets his first touch in the NRL.

Kurt Mann is driven back by Robson and Gilbert.

Crossland puts a bomb up to Valentine Holmes. The Cowboys fullback is tackled on his 10 metre line.

Clifford puts a high ball which Kurt Mann is up to the task of fielding.

Blake Green's kick is fielded by Murray Taulagi on his 20 metre line.

Daniel Saifiti takes the first carry of the night.

Jason Taumalolo gets special recognition in his first home match after reaching 200 NRL games.

Jordan McLean leads the Cowboys out.

Jayden Brailey takes the Knights onto the field.

The Knights have struggled historically in Townsville winning 7 out of 20 visits. They lasted tasted victory in a clash played north of the border in 2015.

The two teams traded wins last year with the Cowboys getting out to a big first half lead in Round 7 (32-20) before the Knights returned serve in a low-scoring affair in Round 15 (12-0).

Both teams sit outside the top eight on 8 competition points approaching the midway point of the season.

The Knights have made a swathe of changes after a shocking showing in Magic Round. Simi Sasagi will make his NRL debut in the centres, Kurt Mann shifts to fullback and Blake Green returns in the halves. Tex Hoy has been dropped to 18th man.

The Cowboys are as per program from the team named on Tuesday afternoon. Heilum Luke, a 20-year-old forward from Cairns, will make his NRL debut off the bench.

Welcome to League Unlimited’s coverage of Round 11 Thursday Night Football between the North Queensland Cowboys and the Newcastle Knights from Queensland Country Bank Stadium.