It was a taste of what the best can do in attack as the Cowboys against the Storm won a thriller in Townsville, 38-30.
With the lead changing four times during the match, the error-ridden game saw the next men up from the Storm put it to a determined Cowboys outfit, farewelling Valentine Holmes, Kyle Feldt and Jake Granville in the team's last regular season home game.
Only five minutes in, and the nerves for the Cowboys showed as they knocked the ball on twice from consecutive hit-ups. It was more than the Storm could bear; with a set restart, Lazarus Vaalepu caught the Cowboys' defence napping. Tyran Wishart's boot made it 0-6 for the visitors.
The quality of both teams was that any mistakes would be dealt with harshly. Marion Seve caught Heilum Lukis's head in a crusher, giving the Cowboys prime position. Veteran Kyle Feldty went over, with Valentine Holmes locking the game up 6-6.
In a strange turn of events, Ryan Papenhuyzen got not only dacked in a tackle but also corked his leg, sending him from the game for good. Seve also left the field with an injury. Scott Drinkwater did the maths and attacked the reshuffled backline down the Cowboys' left, with Murray Taulagi finishing off the move and Holmes pushing the lead out to 12-6 in the 18th minute.
With the Storm getting another chance in the 27th minute via a high shot on Cameron Munster on the Cowboys 10 meter line, Alec MacDonald put his hand up and rammed himself over just off to the goal posts right. But it was a moment Wisart would hope for again, missing and leaving the Cowboys ahead 12-10.
With five minutes to go in the half, the Storm drew on their fuel tanks and made the most of consecutive scrum feeds as Wishart threw a dummy worthy of an Oscar, fooling Jeremiah Nanai and racking himself up a try and conversion to get the Storm ahead 12-16.
But the Cowboys took up the challenge. Sualauvi Faalogo couldn't contain a bomb from Drinkwater. The numbers opened up for the Cowboys as they drove right, and Feldt got his second for the night. Holmes put the conversion to bed, and the teams went to the shed with the Cowboys ahead 18-16.
The second half opened up just as the Cowboys would have wanted it. A no-look-pass that found a home on the sideline gave the Cowboys easy ball in Melbournes' half. A fatigued-looking Storm could only watch as Val Holmes steamed into their line, getting the try and the conversion to push the home side out 22-16.
The Storm countered, and during a raid in front of the Cowboys' goal, Tepai Moeroa slipped, copping a high hit from Reuben Cotter. Wishart took the two points, and we were 24-18 for the Cowboys with 30 minutes to go.
The Storm seemed to get a second wind from this, and after some attacks and goal-line dropouts, they finally got the candy. Tyran Wishart was in the right sport, grabbing the footy as it pinballed Cowboys defenders' legs. He went over in the 55th for his second try, and a conversion to boot locked us up at 24 a piece.
Only moments later, the momentum was sucked out of the Storms attack as Munster put a kick out on the full. The ensuing counter from the Cowboys saw Reece Robson scurry to a loose ball in goal and get in front 30-34 after Holmes slotted another.
It was end-to-end footy for at least another ten minutes until a set restart complimented the Cowboys' push to the Storms line; Jake Clifford showed finesse as he put a kick out to the Cowboys' right. The Storm backs could not get control, and Jeremiah Nanai cut through the confusion to grab the ball and try. Holmes's laser-like boot pushed the home side out to 36-24.
It seemed all Cowboys as they forced the Storm to work it off their line with some heavy defence. The Storm responded with a high shot by Alec MacDonald on Kyle Feldt. The Cowboys took the easy two points, were looking home and hosed at 38-24 with seven minutes to go.
But we knew the Storm would give up, and once again, an error from the Cowboys allowed the Storm to set up Ativalu Lisati to break the Cowboys and sprint 40 meters for a try. Wishart brought it back 38-30 with a minute to go.
But in the end, it was a bridge too far for the visitors, with Grant Atkins blowing full time. The Cowboys had missed 27 tackles to the Storms' 4 at halftime. But they seemed to have a little more fitness and composure to keep the young Storm team at bay.
The error count helped to blow out the lead, but as both parties were guilty, we were rewarded as fans with a high-scoring game.
The Storm showed they have plenty of depth, skill, and fire. Although two players came off the field, there are hopes it's not too serious. They will take their rested stars to Suncorp for the next round with the Broncos.
The Cowboys will take the momentum of this win and clash with the Bulldogs at Accor. A win could earn them a home final.