Aidan with the match report shortly. Thanks for tuning in!
FULL TIME: The North Queensland Cowboys defeat the Gold Coast Titans 35-22. The visitors looked to stage a comeback but it wasn't enough in the end. Good win from the hosts despite some defensive concerns.
Tanah Boyd kicks on the third and gets a good bounce... but nothing comes of it.
Forward pass from Valentine Holmes. 2 minutes to play.
David Fifita tries a chip and chase but it doesn't come off.
Cowboys knock on off a last tackle kick.
Tanah Boyd kicks on the last, but Kyle Feldt cleans it up.
Beau Fermor breaks the tackle and gets the offload too.
5 minutes to play, 3 tackles down and Gold Coast make it into the Cowboys half.
Penalty Gold Coast for a tackle in the air.
Jason Taumalolo making a couple of decent runs here.
Chad makes the field goal with 7 minutes to play - right after coming back from his sin bin. 13 point lead now for the hosts.
Cowboys are defending so well to pin Gold Coast to their try line.
AND THAT'S THE RECORD! Kyle Feldt officially passes Matthew Bowen to be the clubs most prolific try scorer. Massive raps for Kyle.
Holmes converts Feldt's try from right in front.
INTERCEPT TRY! Out of nowhere Feldt comes flying out of the line to get his side out of trouble and that might just be the game.
Harley Smith-Shields gets a 7 tackle set after catching a Drinkwater bomb that went too deep.
Cotter is wrapped up just above the eyes and Jayden Campbell has blood from his chin. Play on.
Reuben Cotter with blood down his face after a Jayden Campbell tackle (this is not fox league DO NOT make a Tim Tszyu joke...)
Reece Robson with yet another excellent run and pass to put Reuben Cotter through a hole.
Tanah Boyd puts up the bomb and Murray Taulagi makes a simple take.
AJ Brimson trips on the 4th.
Flurry of tries from Gold Coast and they're on a roll!
Boyd converts to make it a 6 point ball game. This is very interesting here.
Beau Fermor scores! Tanah Boyd put him through the line and he finds Jojo Fifita who gives it back to him to score. COMEBACK IS ON!!!
Tanah makes the kick from right in front. Cowboys lead 28-16.
THAT'S WHAT THEY CAN DO! Klese Haas gets over after a very good and targeted short ball from Sam Verrills. The visitors making a late surge here.
Set of 6 right in front. What can the Titans do?
That's an interesting one off the kick but Cowboys knock on is ruled.
Gold Coast are close and a man up after the binning. Good chance for points here.
Chad is sent off for 10 for a hip drop on Jayden Campbell.
Oh no. JC looks hurt.
Jeremiah Nanai loses the ball and who other than Jayden Campbell to clean up the loose ball.
Tanah Boyd hits Kyle Feldt on the chest with a very direct kick. No difficulty here for the Cowboys back 3 with these kick returns.
Moeaki Fotuaika sent off for a HIA.
Tanah Boyd kicks this one. They trail 28-10.
Out of nowhere AJ Brimson breaks the line and finds his fullback to score. Good try and Gold Coast will try and use this to launch a comeback.
Forward pass Cowboys. Anti climactic set and Gold Coast hang on.
Jeremiah Nanai NEARLY gets through.
The Cowboys moving the ball so well, very expansive football.
Simple kick from Holmes and he makes no mistake.
Razzle Dazzle from North Queensland and Drinkwater puts Robson over - but he had to work for that one. He breaks through with power and the hosts lead 26-4 with a kick to come.
AND HE SCORES
Reece Robson gets CLOSE!
North Queensland could score here. 20m out on the 3rd.
Jake Granville is hit high and the Cowboys gain a penalty. Ugly shot from Sam Verrills.
Holmes is successful. Cowboys lead 22-4.
Kulikefu Finefeuiaki's run is deemed okay and Scott Drinkwater crosses for a great solo try.
10m out here.
COWBOYS ON THE ATTACK
Valentine Holmes makes a break after a Murray Taulagi pass.
Such a shame for Neame who has been excellent so far this afternoon. He stays on the field however.
A bit of concern here for Griffin Neame with his knee getting bent in a tackle.
Bad news for Gold Coast with playmaker Kieran Foran not returning after his ankle injury.
Valentine Holmes knocked on an attacking kick from Chad Townsend. Would've been an excellent try if he pulled off the take.
North Queensland bring it back from their own half, 3 plays down.
Very strong run from Josiah Pahulu. He's been impressive on debut.
A seemingly simple kick was shunted wide. Gold Coast trail 16-4.
SOMEHOW!!! Brian Kelly muscles his way over the line from dummy half. Exactly what Gold Coast need to start the 2nd half.
Gold Coast penalty and they have a good chance to score here.
Tanah Boyd puts up another high kick but Scott Drinkwater handles it well.
Decent set here from Gold Coast.
Brent Tate reporting Zac Laybutt has suffered a suspected ACL injury. Thoughts with the young centre - terrible if true.
Sam Verrills makes a nippy run after Chris Randall gets a quick play the ball.
Jayden Campbell safe under the high ball.
It'll be the hosts with first use of the football through Griffin Neame.
And we're underway in the second half! Can North Queensland pile the points on, or will a Des Hasler speech inspire Gold Coast to something of a comeback? Time will tell...
HALF TIME: Cowboys lead 16-0. North Queensland dominated the half - Gold Coast struggling here.
Gold Coast with ONE chance with 7 seconds to go to score off the scrum.
Would've been a great result for Gold Coast to have scored but that was sloppy - still, a good kick from Brian Kelly who has looked impressive in attack.
What a try... or so we thought. The referee allowed a Harley Smith-Shields try but Jayden Campbell was inside 10m and obstructs the play. No try.
6 again Titans.
Titans penalty. A Tanah Boyd kick goes dead but a 6-again forces the play to go back.
Gold Coast with a decent attacking chance here. They could score points just before the break.
Cowboys error to relieve the pressure for Gold Coast.
Kyle Feldt with a strong run.
Expansive ball movement and they'll kick from the halfway line.
Gold Coast try to bring the ball out of their half.
Murray Taulagi knocks it on to close out the set. 71m gain is a very telling sign of the momentum in this match, though.
Cowboys dominating up the middle. Ugly scenes for the visitors.
Reece Robson finds Reuben Cotter who nearly breaks the line.
Simple conversion again for Holmes. Cowboys lead 16-0.
Almost too easy for the Cowboys. Drinkwater does it all himself after a David Fifita error and burns Jaimin Jolliffe for speed.
COWBOYS ON THE ATTACK! They're close.
David Fifita tries to push an intercept and turns over the ball, inside their own 30.
Murray Taulagi bats the last tackle kick back but Valentine Holmes can't make the take and Gold Coast hang on.
Dearden caught on the last.
Griffin Neame with another good carry.
David Fifita with a forward pass as Gold Coast looked to attack. Just too clunky.
Gold Coast penalty, their first for the afternoon.
Scott Drinkwater nearly kicks a 40/20 but Jayden Campbell cleans it up and then makes an allusive run.
Sam Verrills replaces Kieran Foran who can't continue on with his injury.
Kieran Foran getting more attention from the trainer. That ankle looks bad.
Challenge unsuccessful. No touch and the Titans get the ball back.
Captains challenge! The Cowboys are claiming the kick was touched by David Fifita.
Chad Townsend finds touch on the last - and Kieran Foran looks very hurt.
Griffin Neame nearly gets through the line.
Tanah Boyd puts up a high kick on the last but he can't pull an Adam Reynolds and force the knock on. Scott Drinkwater safe as houses.
Zac Laybutt will not return this afternoon as it's confirmed his injury is to his knee.
Griffin Neame loses it. Cowboys attacking chance blown.
Cowboys get the ball back after the short drop out fails.
A Scott Drinkwater kick finds the in goal to force a drop out.
North Queensland on the attack.
Reece Robson makes a dangerous run out of dummy half.
Well read by AJ Brimson to shutdown Scott Drinkwater.
Cowboys penalty and the crowd like it.
Kieran Foran looks hurt! In other news the Cowboys hold on to an attacking set from the Titans.
Jayden Campbell with a dangerous run.
Gold Coast spread the ball and get into the Cowboys half.
Nanai touch in goal. But wow that kick from Townsend was a ripper!
Scott Drinkwater makes a very dangerous kick on the last which was cleaned up by Jeremiah Nanai but it looks as though he's taken into touch before he can offload the ball.
Scott Drinkwater makes a line break.
Sam McIntyre comes into the fray.
And Zac Laybutt will leave the field with what looks to be an ankle injury. Unfortunate for the try scorer.
Very forceful contact from Kieran Foran - but all legal.
Zac Laybutt is hit hard and looks hurt again.
Tom Dearden kicks on the third but Tanah Boyd does well to clean up the grubber. If he missed it would've almost certainly been points.
The Cowboys on the attack. Again.
Not going well for Gold Coast. Jayden Campbell kicks it out on the full off the kick-off and hands North Queensland a penalty.
Holmes misses out wide. Cowboys lead 10-0.
Very good try on the left edge for the hosts. A quick tip on from Valentine Holmes finds Taulagi who dives and plants the ball in the corner. 10-0 KTC.
Cowboys on the attack.
Zac Laybutt looks hurt and is tended to by the trainer, but should be okay.
No need for Kieran Foran to hold on like that. Silly play.
Cowboys penalty to take them out of their own half.
Gold Coast are defending well in the first few tackles but as soon as the Cowboys spread the ball they're hard to contain.
Harley Smith-Shields being targeted under the high ball - but he makes the take.
Just as I say that they spread it wide with some expansive football. 62m gain for that set.
North Queensland struggling to make meters here.
Brian Kelly monsters Scott Drinkwater! Good tackle.
Some good attack here from the Titans.
Jeremiah Nanai catches an attacking kick from Chad Townsend but is wrapped up on the last.
Scott Drinkwater catches a Tanah Boyd bomb and Gold Coast will attempt to pin North Queensland inside their own half.
Jayden Campbell makes a strong run for the visitors.
Chad Townsend channels Ben Hunt to lose the ball cold of the restart - but the Cowboys get the ball back after a short drop out pays off.
Holmes makes the simple kick from right in front. The hosts lead 6-0.
Laybutt dummies the ball and scores a simple try in the corner. Chad Townsend with the assist.
A good run from the Titans is spoilt as Kieran Foran drops the offload. Cowboys attacking again.
Tom Dearden hits Kulikefu Finefeuiaki with a short ball on the last and the Titans hold on.
Chad Townsend gets over the line, but is held up.
Jason Taumalolo with a strong run. 3 plays down on the Titans line.
Set restart.
Kayo dropped out for me.. But North Queensland get the ball off a Titans knock on. Good attacking chance 20m out.
And it's Gold Coast with first use of the football through Moeaki Fotuaika.
Cult hero Jake Granville celebrates his 200th game for the Cowboys this afternoon! Congratulations to him.
With Aussie Daniel Ricciardo crashing out of the Japan GP (much to my disappointment) - I'm hoping the footy provides more joy! That's enough with the Fox League coded cross-sport promotion. All eyes on NRL, Cowboys vs Titans!
David Fifita starts, with Klese Haas moving to lock and Erin Clark to the bench. Harley Smith-Shields and Jojo Fifita come into the backline, replacing Phillip Sami and Alofiana Khan-Pereira.
Welcome to the live blog for this all-QLD clash between the North Queensland Cowboys, and the Gold Coast Titans. The Titans are winless to start their year and travel up north against the Cowboys, who are 3-1 - with their only loss coming at the hands of the Broncos last week. North Queensland have named the same 17 that lost to Brisbane, whilst the Titans have made a host of changes.
Referees & scorers:
Referee: Chris Butler
Touch Judges: Nick Pelgrave, Tyson Brough
Video Referee: Liam Kennedy
NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS (35)
Tries: Zac Laybutt, Murray Taulagi, Scott Drinkwater (2), Reece Robson, Kyle Feldt
Field Goals: Chad Townsend (1/1)
Two Point Field Goals:
Conversions: Valentine Holmes (5/6)
Penalty Goals:
GOLD COAST TITANS (22)
Tries: Brian Kelly, Jayden Campbell, Klese Haas, Beau Fermor
Field Goals:
Two Point Field Goals:
Conversions: Tanah Boyd (3/4)
Penalty Goals: