Full Time
80:00
7:50pm Fri September 23, 2022
Finals Week 3 - Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville / Wulgurukaba - Crowd: 25372
80min

PARRAMATTA ARE INTO THE GRAND FINAL!!!!! PARRAMATTA ARE INTO THE GRAND FINAL!!!!!

79min

30 SECONDS!

79min

LAST MINUTE

78min

HERE WE GO!! SEVEN TACKLE SET FOR THE COWBOYS

78min

EELS HANG ON!!!

76min

Lane deflects the kick and Dylan Brown recovers it

75min

SIX MORE COWBOYS!

74min

HERE WE GO!!

74min

PENALTY COWBOYS: Peta Hiku speared

73min

PENALTY COWBOYS: Matterson not square.

72min

Gutherson does well to hang onto it. Seconds are ticking down.

71min

Still plenty of time and plenty of action to come. DON'T MOVE

70min

They're under review and Feldt steps OUT. NO TRY

70min

Mahoney loses it! SIX MORE TACKLES

69min

Cowboys go short and get it right! Hiku runs up field.

68min

Feldt puts the ball on the line - great call from the officials.

67min

Cowboys looking a bit gassed here

65min

Conversion: Eels
Kicked by Mitchell Moses.

Moses nails the kick. They're up by FOUR

Eels lead Cowboys 20 - 24 Eels
64min

Try: Eels
Scored by Maika Sivo. Kick to come.

SIVO! Forget the two points, they've got four and more importantly, they have the lead. Great short-side raid saw Lane got a tremendous ball to SIVO! Eels are in front

Eels lead Cowboys 20 - 22 Eels
63min

Penalty Goal: Eels
Attempted by Mitchell Moses.

For the tie, the kick is NO GOOD. Wide LEFT

Cowboys lead Cowboys 20 - 18 Eels
61min

PENALTY EELS: High shot

60min

Eels had a great set post points.

58min

Conversion: Eels
Kicked by Mitchell Moses.

Moses converts the RCG try. It's 20-18

Cowboys lead Cowboys 20 - 18 Eels
58min

Try: Eels
Scored by Reagan Campbell-Gillard. Kick to come.

RCG has number 2! This is sensational from the big boppa. Jordan McLean and Jason Taumalolo fail to read it in defence and gets number two.

Cowboys lead Cowboys 20 - 16 Eels
57min

Big chance for the Eels

57min

Drinkwater's pass is picked off by Shaun Lane

56min

Challenge is successful. Cowboys keep possession.

56min

Holmes loses the footy. He wants to challenge and he wins the right to challenge.

54min

Conversion: Cowboys
Kicked by Valentine Holmes.

Holmes converts - Cowboys 20 - Eels 12.

Cowboys lead Cowboys 20 - 12 Eels
52min

Try: Cowboys
Scored by Murray Taulagi. Kick to come.

You just feel that could be the try that break's Parramatta. It was a great Griffin Neame offload to Tom Dearden who was taken short. Off the next play it was a lovely ball to Drinkwater who found Holmes who in turn got it onto Murray Taulagi to cross.

Cowboys lead Cowboys 18 - 12 Eels
51min

Cowboys convert their set after points.

49min

Penalty Goal: Cowboys
Kicked by Valentine Holmes.

Holmes is successful - Cowboys 14 - Eels 12

Cowboys lead Cowboys 14 - 12 Eels
48min

PENALTY COWBOYS: Strip against Isaiah Papali'i.

47min

Hiku taken meters short!

47min

PENALTY COWBOYS: Hairpull against Waqa Blake.

46min

Great take from Nanai under pressure.

43min

Time off - Bailey Simonsson caught awkwardly. Referee saying to play the ball.

41min

Both sides start the second half error free.

40min

OFF WE GO! 40 mins to decide our first grand finalist.

40min

Remember to check the @leagueunlimited twitter page for the latest MRC news tomorrow morning.

40min

Half-Time: Cowboys 12 - Eels 12

38min

Penalty Goal: Cowboys
Kicked by Valentine Holmes.

Holmes from long range is successful.

Tied up at Cowboys 12 - 12 Eels
38min

Explainer: Neame earns the right to a quick play the ball and Paulo slows it down.

37min

Challenge unsuccessful Eels.

37min

Hang on - they got a late challenge in there Parramatta.

37min

PENALTY COWBOYS: Paulo strips it out

37min

Set restart revoked - Cartwright has a typical QLD moment and puts it down.

36min

Lane has passed his HIA.

35min

Holmes puts it down... Parramatta A++ in defence.

35min

Eels now struggling to get out of their own end.

34min

Nanai is HELD UP... Great scramble from the Eels and Mahoney takes the grubber off the next tackle.

33min

Moses sends ANOTHER one OUT ON THE FULL

32min

Feldt puts it down in the contest. Shame there from the Cowboys as they were looking good in attack.

31min

Cowboys work it into good ball territory. Can they grab another?

30min

Moses sends it into ROW 10

29min

We're back 13 v 13. Papalii breaks through but Penisini and Blake OVERRUN the cutout ball from the backrower.

28min

PENALTY EELS: Poor stuff from the home side, they force the Eels to work it out of a corner but they concede a silly penalty.

27min

Cowboys convert their set after points.

26min

Conversion: Cowboys
Attempted by Valentine Holmes.

Holmes fails to convert. Cowboys 10-Eels 12

Eels lead Cowboys 10 - 12 Eels
25min

Try: Cowboys
Scored by Luciano Leilua. Kick to come.

Well the Cowboys crash over to score while being down to 12. Luciano Leilua crashes over, Mitchell Moses appears to have taken 2022's biggest dive and it punishes the Eels.

Eels lead Cowboys 10 - 12 Eels
24min

Six to go - ruck infringement.

24min

Lane OFF for a HIA

24min

Waqa Blake puts it down on a bomb. What a problem that caused two weeks ago.

23min

Isaiah Papali'i PASSES his HIA.

22min

Moses' kick had the right ideas but the execution left a lot to be desired.

21min

Blake burries Murray Taulagi over the sideline. Parramatta hang on here.

20min

They called this one back. Mahoney pulled up - good call by Michael Wise.

19min

Conversion: Eels
Kicked by Mitchell Moses.

Moses converts. Parramatta 12 - Cowboys 6

Eels lead Cowboys 6 - 12 Eels
18min

Try: Eels
Scored by Reagan Campbell-Gillard. Kick to come.

They get over when they are up a man, bucking the trend of Roosters v Souths. Reagan Campbell-Gillard crashes over. Chad Townsend jams in and creates a yawning gap and RCG scores.

Eels lead Cowboys 6 - 10 Eels
17min

PENALTY EELS: Peta Hiku takes Gutherson late.

16min

Robson's grubber is taken by Gutho.

15min

PENALTY EELS: Junior Paulo hanging on too long. Sensations a plenty here in Townsville.

15min

Taumalolo is going to the bin for a late hit on Isaiah Papali'i. Big JUDICIARY drama!

14min

Good bust from the Eels. Gutherson taken after a good offload. Eels change it over. Isaiah Papali'i coming off the ground for an expected HIA.

13min

Conversion: Cowboys
Kicked by Valentine Holmes.

Holmes converts. Cowboys 6 - Eels 6

Tied up at Cowboys 6 - 6 Eels
12min

Try: Cowboys
Scored by Reuben Cotter. Kick to come.

Well I said it would come back to bite the Eels and it has right there. Great individual effort from Reuben Cotter. Went straight between Reed Mahoney and Niukore and crashes over to get the Cowboys back in it.

Eels lead Cowboys 4 - 6 Eels
11min

Parra go short when they have the lead... we know we have to have punishment here.

10min

Cowboys on the attack again. Chad Townsend kicks it early but Clinton Gutherson bats it dead. Goal line dropout to come.

9min

PENALTY COWBOYS: Hand on ball against Shaun Lane.

8min

Conversion: Eels
Kicked by Mitchell Moses.

Moses converts - Parramatta 6 - Cowboys 0

Eels lead Cowboys 0 - 6 Eels
6min

Try: Eels
Scored by Viliami Penisini. Kick to come.

That might've looked a touch forward but Atkins says play on. Moses swung it back, on the replays that was a horrible decision from the touch judge. But we play on, Moses got it onto Marata Niukore who drew and passed to Will Penisini to cross for try number one.

Eels lead Cowboys 0 - 4 Eels
5min

PENALTY EELS: Markers not square.

5min

Ref rules no knock on against Bailey Simonsson.

3min

Great grubber kick from Chad Townsend but Clinton Gutherson takes it well and Parramatta are now working it out of yardage.

2min

Set restart Cowboys - ruck infringement.

2min

Niukore has a look at the defensive line.

1min

PENALTY EELS: Cowboys all off-sid

OFF WE GO!!!! One spot in the GF on the line.

Grant Atkins is in charge, Dave Munro and Michael Wise are the touch judges and Adam Gee is in the bunker.

Let's set the scene. The Cowboys are looking for their first grand final appearance since 2017, while Parramatta are hopeful of making it to the big dance for their first GF appearance since 2009.

Thanks for joining us for the first prelim final of the 2022 NRL season. Both sides are 'shock' final 4 contenders from everyone's predictions at the start of the season. For the home side, they are as per the program. Parramatta have a big change with Tom Opacic out, Bailey Simonsson is in. Niukore and Matterson do their usual switch. Kickoff at 10 to 8.

Referees & scorers:

Referee: Grant Atkins

Touch Judges: David Munro, Michael Wise

Video Referee: Adam Gee

NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS (20)
Tries: Reuben Cotter, Luciano Leilua, Murray Taulagi
Field Goals:
Two Point Field Goals:
Conversions: Valentine Holmes (2/3)
Penalty Goals: Valentine Holmes (2/2)

PARRAMATTA EELS (24)
Tries: Viliami Penisini, Reagan Campbell-Gillard (2), Maika Sivo
Field Goals:
Two Point Field Goals:
Conversions: Mitchell Moses (4/4)
Penalty Goals: Mitchell Moses (0/1)