Full Time
80:00
5:30pm Sat March 4, 2023
Round 1 - Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville / Wulgurukaba - Crowd: 19855
80min

Canberra's last roll of the dice fails and the Cowboys will hold on! What a finish.

79min

Cowboys with it on the last and take the tackle. 1:30 left and the Raiders have it on their own 5m.

78min

NO! An attempted offload from Wighton and that's a big chance gone begging for the Raiders.

77min

Cowboys set over and now the Raiders are surging up field with three minutes left. Can they get anywhere near enough to level scores... or go in front?

77min

The kickoff goes out on the full and the Cowboys have the momentum inside the final minutes.

76min

Field Goal: Cowboys
Kicked by Chad Townsend.

THE CHAD IS GOOD! Townsend pots the field goal with four minutes left.

Cowboys lead Cowboys 19 - 18 Raiders
74min

Looking increasingly like we could be headed to golden point for the second time in the opening round.

70min

It's a real grind at QCB Stadium now. Canberra still looking strong but the momentum isn't as big as it was up until the hour mark.

59min

Conversion: Raiders
Kicked by Jamal Fogarty.

Fogarty nails it to level the scores!

Tied up at Cowboys 18 - 18 Raiders
58min

Try: Raiders
Scored by Jack Wighton. Kick to come.

How is this?! The Green Machine are back within two points! A high ball and nobody takes it, so Wighton snaps up the crumbs and runs wide to score.

Cowboys lead Cowboys 18 - 16 Raiders
56min

Conversion: Raiders
Kicked by Jamal Fogarty.

The margin is six and the Cowboys first-half dominance is quickly evaporating with just under 25 minutes left.

Cowboys lead Cowboys 18 - 12 Raiders
55min

Try: Raiders
Scored by Tom Starling. Kick to come.

Like it did for the Cowboys in the first half, the perseverance pays off for Canberra in the second. Starling grubbers it, comes off Nanai and reclaims it and scores himself.

Cowboys lead Cowboys 18 - 10 Raiders
54min

Canberra force a drop-out as the pressure mounts on the hosts.

52min

Canberra definitely have come out the stronger of the two sides here (there's something about that end of QCB Stadium...)

48min

A reprieve finally for the hosts with a penalty piggybacking them out of their own zone.

46min

Canberra's attack is quite clunky despite the Cowboys giving them plenty of chances.

42min

An early second half error in their own territory and the Cowboys will be on the back foot here.

40min

HALFTIME. Cowboys dominance but they did open the door for Canberra late on. 18-6 to the hosts, join us for the second half soon.

40min

Conversion: Raiders
Kicked by Jamal Fogarty.

Fogarty pops the extras over and the margin drops back to twelve.

Cowboys lead Cowboys 18 - 6 Raiders
38min

Try: Raiders
Scored by Emre Guler. Kick to come.

Guler climbs over and the visitors claw one back!

Cowboys lead Cowboys 18 - 4 Raiders
37min

The Raiders finally have a full set on the Cowboys line...

36min

Conversion: Cowboys
Kicked by Valentine Holmes.

And another. Holmes conversion paints a bleak picture for Canberra as halftime looms.

Cowboys lead Cowboys 18 - 0 Raiders
35min

Try: Cowboys
Scored by Scott Drinkwater. Kick to come.

Drinky double! The Raiders just can't hold them out.

Cowboys lead Cowboys 16 - 0 Raiders
31min

With how dominant the Cowboys have been, particularly with field position and possession, it's a surprise they haven't extended their lead further. Another last-tackle kick from Townsend and they force another drop-out.

28min

Jordan Rapana penalised for what looked like a shoulder charge and the Cowboys easily out of their own end again.

27min

Canberra just struggling for possession and field position here.

26min

Penalty Goal: Cowboys
Kicked by Valentine Holmes.

Penalties aplenty and the Cowboys look to take advantage and extend the lead to twelve. Holmes makes it so.

Cowboys lead Cowboys 12 - 0 Raiders
21min

Conversion: Cowboys
Kicked by Valentine Holmes.

Holmes with a much easier attempt, converts.

Cowboys lead Cowboys 10 - 0 Raiders
20min

Try: Cowboys
Scored by Scott Drinkwater. Kick to come.

Beautiful play, Drinkwater picks up a superb Townsend in-field grubber and it's a quickfire try.

Cowboys lead Cowboys 8 - 0 Raiders
18min

Conversion: Cowboys
Attempted by Valentine Holmes.

Holmes clatters this one into the post from the sideline.

Cowboys lead Cowboys 4 - 0 Raiders
16min

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

The dam wall breaks - right on the edges of course. Murray Taulagi gets it down in the corner!

Cowboys lead Cowboys 4 - 0 Raiders
15min

The Cowboys are peppering the Raiders' line but there's just no way through. Superb defence from the Green Machine and they repel another raid - just.

12min

Penalty Goal: Cowboys
Attempted by Valentine Holmes.

Holmes early attempt goes left. Raiders 20m line dropout.

Tied up at Cowboys 0 - 0 Raiders
11min

Bizarre stuff from Rapana, kicking a ball away after an error and he's penalised. Cowboys will opt for the two.

9min

Cowboys with a good chance here after a Raiders error.

4min

A handy penalty for the Cowboys coming out of their own end. The new set starts on Canberra's side of halfway.

1min

KICKOFF and Canberra, wearing their new all-white away jersey, start us off with the first use of the ball.

Muggy conditions in Townsville for this 4:30pm kickoff match in Queensland's north. Both sides are 1-17.

Referees & scorers:

Referee: Adam Gee

Touch Judges: Wyatt Raymond, Phil Henderson

Video Referee: Kasey Badger

NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS (19)
Tries: Murray Taulagi, Scott Drinkwater (2)
Field Goals: Chad Townsend (1/1)
Conversions: Valentine Holmes (2/3)
Penalty Goals: Valentine Holmes (1/2)

CANBERRA RAIDERS (18)
Tries: Emre Guler, Tom Starling, Jack Wighton
Conversions: Jamal Fogarty (3/3)