Match Centre

Full-time - Sharks 26 defeated Cowboys 12

Clock running out. Sharks will get the victory here, three tries in two minutes might be too much, even for this Cowboys side

First knock on from Luciano Leilua

PENALTY SHARKS: Scott Drinkwater takes Matt Moylan high

Kick went ten - but an escort by Chad Townsend

Sione Katoa leaving the ground

Sharks tiring through the middle here.

Good kick from the Hammer, strong chase from Scott Drinkwater and the Sharks work it out from their own end

Set restart Sharks - 10m

Well well well, if there was ever a moment where you needed the value of Jason Taumalolo it's that play. He broke through the middle and charged his way to the line! Sensational from the front rower... But we're off to the bunker and it's going to be NO TRY

Set restart Cowboys - ruck infringement

Cowboy 304 Tom Chester will be coming on the field as well making his first grade debut! Go well

Shark #553 Jesse Colquhoun is making his debut now. Good luck young man

PENALTY COWBOYS: Markers not square

Great set from the Cowboys - Sharks coming out of yardage now

Poor last tackle option from the Sharks

We're back 13 v 13

Nicho Hynes put WAY TOO MUCH on that kick.

PENALTY SHARKS: Cowboys jump the gun

Peta Hiku held up over the line

Set restart Cowboys - ruck infringement

Sharks holding firm without Brailey - t-minus 2.5 minutes until his return

Big win in the possession game for the Sharks there - Cowboys struggled to get out of their own end.

Both sides get through their opening sets.

Off we go for the second 40 minutes here in Townsville

Too many set restarts I mean haha

Six more after it was played at - Nicho saves the day.

Can the Sharks hang on before the break?

Set restart Cowboys - ruck infringement

Tom Gilbert taken on the last - changeover coming up

No escort is the ruling that time. Sharks player ruled to have kept his line

Toby Rudolf sends it dead with a HORRIBLE kick.

PENALTY SHARKS: Dale Finucane taken off the ball there according to Adam Gee

Cowboys rolling up-field here. Continuing the theme of an end to end struggle here.

Kick rolls dead - 7 tackle set

Coen Hess has PASSED his HIA and will return

Adam Gee sending it up NO TRY for Jesse Ramien

Moylan goes close - set restart Sharks - ruck infringement

Great kick from Nicho Hynes, took an awful bounce for Scott Drinkwater and he has to kick it dead. Repeat set coming up for the visitors.

How much pressure can the Sharks handle?

PENALTY COWBOYS: Sharks inside the 10m. Ronaldo Mulitalo intercepted it which negates the set restart.

Big tackle from Connor Tracey saves four points.

PENALTY COWBOYS: Blayke Brailey guilty of a second grab

Set restart Cowboys - 10m

Set restart Cowboys - ruck infringement. Jake Granville replacing Hess

Last tackle play was poor, Matt Moylan taken and losing the ball. Cowboys looking for a counter attack.

Hess leaves for a HIA

Toby Rudolf held-up over the line. Sharks brewing here for another one - Coen Hess down for the Cowboys - took an accidental elbow there

Great kick from Nicho Hynes, Kyle Feldt unable to get back into the field of play.

PENALTY SHARKS: Chad Townsend rakes at the ball illegally.

PENALTY SHARKS: Ronaldo Mulitalo taken out after he kicked the ball by Kyle Feldt.

Both sides get through their opening sets. Important to note, North Queensland's socks are Men of League socks tonight.

OFF WE GO! Round 18 is underway. Sharks will get first use of it here tonight.

Adam Gee is the referee, Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski and Michael Wise are the touch-judges whilst Gerard Sutton is the man in the bunker.

Hello and thanks for joining us for LU's coverage of Round 18 of the NRL Telstra Premiership with the North Queensland Cowboys taking on the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. It's a big match for both sides as they're looking to cement their top 4 positions. Both sides are impacted and lacking some names following the Origin decider. The Cowboys lose QLD five-eighth Tom Dearden so Ben Hampton comes into the halves, with Tom Chester debuting on the interchange. Leilua gets a starting back-row spot with Connelly Lemuelu dropping back to the bench. Cronulla are without Siosifa Talakai after the NSW representative failed to overcome a shoulder injury, it's a rewarding night for Jesse Colquhoun who's earnt his debut on the bench. Kickoff coming up soon.