The North Queensland Cowboys season remains alive after a convincing 34-10 win over the Dolphins at Suncorp Stadium.
The Cowboys were superb running in six tries to two, with fullback Scott Drinkwater and five eighth Tommy Deardon the stars for the visitors with the win leaving the Townsville based side on the edge of the eight, needing a win over the premiers Penrith and hope other results go their way in the final round of the season to progress to the finals.
The Dolphins were never in the match but can take some solace into the final round with star winger Jamayne Isaako racing over for two late tries to take the Kiwi flyer to the summit of both the top pointscorer and tryscorer list with one round remaining.
North Queensland scored the first try of the match through rookie centre Zac Laybutt, who was the beneficiary of a Dolphins dropped ball which saw halfback Chad Townsend pick up the scraps to shift the ball and give Laybutt an easy run to the try line. The Cowboys made it back-to-back tries minutes later when Kyle Feldt touched down in the corner following some slick hands from the Cowboys outside backs. Scott Drinkwater nailed his second conversion from the sideline to make it 12-0.
The visitors took it up a notch when Tom Dearden put Murray Taulagi away down the sideline. The hulking winger then found Drinkwater on the spot who raced away to score the Cowboys third try.
The Redcliffe based side just couldn't get into the match and were further hindered when interchange prop Josh Kerr was sent to the Sin Bin for a hip drop tackle. The Cowboys made the 12-man Dolphins pay when Laybutt scored his second try, hitting a great line and beating two would be tacklers to extend the lead to 24-0 at halftime.
North Queensland picked up where they left off after the break, and after earning back-to-back repeat sets, Tom Dearden then threw a superb cut out pass for Murray Taulagi to race away to score and extend the lead to 28-0.
The Dolphins finally gave the home fans something to cheer about with 15 minutes remaining, when Kodi Nikorima put Jamayne Isaako away down the right wing. The explosive Kiwi winger then beat two Cowboys defenders to score and become the outright leading NRL tryscorer.
The Cowboys respond immediately to the Dolphins try, when interchange forward Kulikefu Finefeuiaki produced a superb offload for Peta Hiku to score in NRL game 200 and put the visitors out to a commanding 34-6 lead.
The Dolphins finished a disappointing game on a positive note when Isaako scored his second try of the night following a superb cut out ball from Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow to narrow the scoreline to 34-10 at fulltime.
North Queensland now face an enormous task in Round 27, needing to beat the Panthers at Penrith next Saturday to advance to this year's finals series. While the Dolphins will finish their inaugural season back at Suncorp Stadium where they host the Warriors.