Wow! Cowboys win a thriller.
CHALLENGE from the Cowboys. They look at it. First error from RTS. SUCCESSFUL challenge. Cowboys WILL win.
Warriors go short. It was knocked on by the Cowboys. Scrum Warriors.
Valentine Holmes almost kicked that out of the stadium! He set himself on the 40 and nails it! Cowboys will win.
Ball don't lie. Cowboys got a dubious penalty against them. Warriors set it up perfectly. Chanel Harris-Tavita slices it left.
OH NO! Cowboys get pinged for an incorrect ptb. No challenge either. Warriors scrum.
TRY
Holmes has the chance to level things up. He raises the flags.
STOP! Hammer time. Cowboys spread it right on tackle two and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow did the rest. Nikorima almost had him but the fast guy stepped out of it.
Clifford puts one high but Walsh is equal to the task.
Ooft! That isn't pleasant. Nikorima and Harris clash heads trying to make a tackle. The five-eighth is down and receiving attention.
Nikorima tries to put one inch perfect but too deep. Tuilagi greatfully accepts.
Granville tries to dart through the ruck but loses it trying to pass.
Gilbert spills it. Warriors rucking it out now.
Some good interplay around the ruck for the Warriors but Taunoa Brown puts it down.
Nikorima from the right side again. He takes in the razzing from the crowd and pilots it over.
Ben Murdoch Masila steams over from a short ball. All Warriors this half.
PENALTY WARRIORS! Gilbert is ON REPORT again after high contact on Walsh.
Nikorima has a kick to put the Warriors ahead again. He has kicked all three tonight. He walks in, started it wide and it stayed there.
Montoya has levelled things up! Lovely ball out wide and Montoya steps across.
That kick straddled the sideline. Holmes was wishing it over but it bounced back and the fullback is taken in-goal by RTS. Dropout.
All action here atm. Cowboys put about three kicks in but none go to a fellow player. Warriors rucking it out and Pompey is down after some pressure on the neck. Tempers flare post the tackle. Nothing comes to it. PENALTY WARRIORS! Crusher against Gilbert and he is ON REPORT.
Tevaga knocks on after the bomb isn't held again.
Clifford gets to a bomb first but is taken down by Walsh. The fullback is down after the tackle. He is receiving some attention but the youngster is up!
That was magic from Feldt. It looked like Montoya had got there first but it ended up in the lap of the Cowboys winger.
Nikorima from the left side. Swings it over.
Reece Walsh wins the race. It all came from a Cowboys knock on. Dunn loses it trying to throw the pass. Walsh scooped it up, only has Heilum Luki on the chase. He grabs the jumper but can't get the fullback into touch.
Nikorima from the right side. He takes a breath and let's the rest come easy as it swings over.
Straight from the scrum. Warriors strike back! Walsh, RTS and finished by Aitken.
Bowen rushes out for an intercept and loses it.
All Warriors to start this set. Kick on last was knocked on then the Cowboys take another touch. They are probing the line.
We're back for the second half! Warriors walk out looking to amend those final ten minutes where they conceded two quick tries. Conversly, the Cowboys walk out full of confidence to make it five straight at home. Warriors kick-off this second half.
Holmes with another easy effort. Kicks it. HALFTIME.
Cowboys don't drink beer, they DRINKWATER! Robson eyes off the markers then slips it to Drinkwater to go the rest of the way.
Holmes from in front, nails it.
Clifford has utilised the stab kick well this half and gets some reward. Cowboys went close twice on the left. Clifford took it towards the middle, kicks through and plants it down.
PENALTY COWBOYS! Crusher tackle against Pompey.
Hammer tries to fly through and loses it.
Nikorima loses it on last. Warriors were getting a roll on after a set restart call but unable to do anything with it.
Drinkwater spills it. No use crying over it though.
It isn't just a penalty. The interchange man is sitting down for ten. Whiplash action is the call from the referee.
PENALTY COWBOYS! Jazz Tevaga hit someone late.
Eli Katoa poked through the line, tries the offload and loses it right to a Cowboy.
Clifford put some extra mustard in that kick and it hung in the air. Walsh makes a terrific catch though and the Warriors can ruck it away.
Holmes has a shot from the left side this time. TRY was confirmed. So the fullback strides in, he starts it left but no swing.
Now the left side hums into gear. Swept left and Tuilagi finishes in style.
Another sloppy end to the set from the Cowboys. The kick hits a Warrior and rolls out. Called a changeover. CHALLENGE from the home side. Another SUCCESSFUL challenge for Cowboys. They get a play the ball wherever they want. Also six more tackles.
Warriors have played quite flat tonight. This one to Pompey doesn't go to hand.
That was a messy final tackle option from the Cowboys. The kick hits the back of the Warriors, fumbles around and almost snatched up by Val Holmes. It was play on and Feldt knocks it on then from a strip.
The game has settled into a rhythm between the two sides. Just as a I type that.. Warriors get a SET RESTART.
Warriors go the power game on last. Walsh with a flat pass to Kane Evans who is swarmed on by the defense. Changover.
Tough first kick for Holmes. He takes his time, eyes off the posts, bends it over.
It wasn't working on the left so the Cowboys go right. Simple passes and Feldt strolls across.
Another kick through from Clifford. Walsh is there again. Dropout.
Drinkwater dribbles one through. RTS is there to cover though. Another dropout.
PENALTY COWBOYS! Egan catches Robson high. On report. Nothing more.
Cowboys sweep it left but Holmes' pass is wide of Tuilagi. Changeover.
Clifford with a better kick this time. Walsh gets highest and shovels it over the dead ball. Dropout.
Holmes tries to get the set rolling for the Cowboys. The ball comes free and the fullback immediately asks for the challenge. It will be SUCCESSFUL. PENALTY COWBOYS!
TRY is confirmed! Nikorima has his first shot of the evening. He studies, hooks it over.
Euan Aitken steams into the hole and got it down.
Both sides through their first sets. Warriors kicked on fourth through Nikorima and Drinkwater doesn't weight his kick enough and Montoya gets the visitors seven tackles.
Wonderfully observed by all. Teams are in position and here we go! Cowboys kick off and we're off.
Here come the Warriors. Due to a colour clash they are in their 1995 inspired design trotting onto the lush turf of Queensland Country Bank stadium. Next out is the home side. They get a racous cheer from the home crowd before the sides form a boomerang for the welcome to country.
Happy Friday everybody! Hope you are all well and safe. We start Friday night football in North Queensland for Indigenious Round. The Cowboys have won their last four in Townsville and welcome a Warriors side which has been inconsistent but come off a win against fellow stragglers Wests Tigers. Jason Taumalolo is out but the Cowboys are in fine form while the Warriors are under the spell of Reece Walsh's eyes and aim to continue their fine run in Queensland. Grab a snack, drink and settle in for some rugby league! Kick-off is ten minutes away.
Referees & scorers:
Referee: Matt Cecchin
Touch Judges: Tyson Brough, Todd Smith
Video Referee: Alan Shortall
NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS (29)
Tries: Kyle Feldt, Murray Taulagi, Jake Clifford, Scott Drinkwater, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
Field Goals: Valentine Holmes (1/1)
Conversions: Valentine Holmes (4/5)
WARRIORS (28)
Tries: Euan Aitken (2), Reece Walsh, Marcelo Montoya, Ben Murdoch-Masila
Field Goals: Chanel Harris-Tavita (0/1)
Conversions: Kodi Nikorima (4/5)