The J.J Giltinan Shield is waiting in the tunnel to be awarded to the Penrith Panthers for the third time in four years.
The loss sees the Cowboys drop out of the 8 and now miss out on the finals for the 2023 NRL season after finishing third in 2022.
Luke Garner thought he was over, but he was called back for a forward pass in the passage of play.
As it stands, the Panthers will meet the Warriors in the first week of finals at Bluebet Stadium.
Over 22,000 fill Bluebet Stadium for yet another sold-out Panthers game in the 2023 season.
Cowboys try the short kickoff again and the result wasn't as favourable as the last one.
Cleary kicks another!
Brian To'o strolls through for his second try of the night and the Panthers have hit the 40s. Lovely hands from Dylan Edwards to send his winger through.
Stephen Crichton bags an intercept and they're 10m out on a zero tackle.
Cowboys opt for the short kickoff and get possession.
Cleary converts his own try.
Try is awarded...
Try being sent up for review with Nathan Cleary reaching out but possibly falling short or bobbling it.
No penalty try due to Kyle Feldt being in the frame, but Reece Robson has been sent to the bin for a professional foul.
Possible penalty try for the Panthers here.
6 Panthers and 4 Cowboys have run over 100m this game.
A much better kick from Cleary.
Sunia Turuva flirts with the sideline but is strong enough to fend off Kyle Feldt for his second try of the game.
... not long apparently!
The Cowboys line defence is holding on here... but for how long?
Panthers offloading at will trying to find a chink in the Cowboys line.
Reuben Cotter loses the ball and the Panthers finally have the ball in the opposition half.
Nathan Cleary goes for the 40/20 but it doesn't go over the sideline and picked up by Murray Taulagi.
The Cowboys have been tackled 17 times in the opposition half while the Panthers haven't been tackled there once in the second half.
Penrith have lost a bit of their spark since returning for the second half. Dummy half service has been slow with Luke Sommerton being replaced by Tyrone Peachey.
Izack Tago flies through following a Cleary kick and almost decapitates Murray Taulagi!
The Cowboys have definitely come out to play from the break, throwing everything at Penrith.
A pretty easy kick for Drinkwater.
Cowboys go from coast to coast and back again for Zac Laybutt to go over for their second try.
There's a bit of heat out on the field between Sunia Turuva and Peta Hiku
Scott Drinkwater slots the first conversion for the Cowboys from right in front.
It took them 44 minutes, but Griffin Neame gets the Cowboys' first points under the posts.
A few key stats that have helped the Panthers get 26 points out in front: 5 linebreaks to 0, 27 tackle breaks to 5, 7 offloads to 1, 5 missed tackles to 28 and 90% completion to 68%.
Cleary doesn't miss from almost in front.
Luke Sommerton goes over for his first NRL try in his second NRL game with a great scoot from dummy half.
The Cowboys' completion rate is sitting at 69% with the Panthers at 90% with 2 minutes left of the first half.
Young Luke Sommerton tries to burrow under 4 Cowboys under the posts but turns the ball over on the last.
Kyle Feldt tackles Sunia Turuva mid-air and the Panthers have another full set on their 10m line.
That try is Brian To'o's 16th try in 20 games for the 2023 season.
Nathan Cleary's first kick from the right of the uprights is waved away.
Nathan Cleary sends his winger Brian To'o over and he takes three Cowboys with him.
Possession was fairly even for the first 15 or so minutes, but it is now very much swinging the Panthers way.
Peta Hiku fails to play the ball properly and gifts Panthers a scrum inside Cowboys' territory.
Young Panthers hooker, Luke Sommerton, has already made 21 tackles
Sunia Turuva has already run over 132 minutes in the first 30 minutes of this game
A much easier kick for Cleary and he puts it between the posts.
Liam Martin cuts through the defence and gets himself a four-pointer. Jack Cogger with yet another try assist, this time on the other side of the field.
Cowboys are offside and the Panthers are attacking 5 m out
Cleary nails his second kick from pretty much the exact same spot
Stephen Crichton with an absolutely phenomenal leap to tap the ball back for Jack Cogger who is able to get the ball out to Sunia Turuva to cross for the Panthers' second try in the corner
Stephen Crichton absolutely flattens Peta Hiku
Sunia Turuva drops a bomb and the Cowboys get the ball 20 metres out
That error sees the Cowboys completion rate drop to only 65% in the first 15 minutes of the game, even though possession has been equal
Coen Hess knocks the ball on literally a metre out to lose all momentum that the Cowboys had built in their end.
Penrith went for the short kick-off and the Cowboys get the ball back on their 10m line
Grubber from Chad Townsend is chased well by Kyle Feldt but Sunia Turuva taps it over to give the Cowboys the forced drop out
Scott Drinkwater does well under a Nathan Cleary bomb under lots of pressure from Dylan Edwards
Liam Martin and Isaah Yeo team up on Reuben Cotter and force the error
Kyle Feldt gifted a ball from a Cogger error - Panthers looking ready to attack
From the sideline, Cleary hooks it and misses
Panthers make the Cowboys pay with a great ball to Stephen Crichton from a tripping Jack Cogger, but it all started with the fantastic run by Sunia Turuva
An amazing run by Sunia Turuva and the Panthers are attacking their line
Kyle Feldt takes a tumble chasing a great kick on the last and Penrith get possession back
Summerton is offside and the Cowboys get gifted some field position
Cowboys get us underway.
Both teams look very different to the sides that took the field last week with Penrith resting a number of players and the Cowboys also needing to make a few changes.
Almost ready for kick-off at BlueBet Stadium between the Penrith Panthers and the North Queensland Cowboys. The Cowboys are playing for a spot in the 8 and the Panthers for the Minor Premiership.
Referees & scorers:
Referee: Todd Smith
Touch Judges: Peter Gough, Jon Stone
Video Referee: Chris Butler
PENRITH PANTHERS (44)
Tries: Stephen Crichton, Nathan Cleary, Sunia Turuva (2), Liam Martin, Brian To'o (2), Luke Sommerton
Field Goals:
Two Point Field Goals:
Conversions: Nathan Cleary (6/8)
Penalty Goals:
NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS (12)
Tries: Griffin Neame, Zac Laybutt
Field Goals:
Two Point Field Goals:
Conversions: Scott Drinkwater (2/2)
Penalty Goals: