Game over, Cowboys win by eight!
Souths with a late captains challenge after a knock on was ruled against Euan Aitken. It's unsuccessful and the Cowboys have the ball with a minute to go.
Souths get the ball back from the kickoff and looked almost certain to score but too much hot potato sees the Cowboys come up with it. Great desperation but that's game, set, bingo, I'm afraid.
Drinkwater converts the penalty for an eight-point lead.
Penalty Cowboys in front of the posts 25m out after Keppie hits Drinkwater high. They'll take the two, and Sean Keppie will finish the game in the sheds after being sin-binned.
It's all happening and Souths have a few attacking chances here, plenty of time left and they've wrested the momentum back!
Mitchell converts and the six-point margin is back in play.
Jye Gray gets the Rabbitohs back in the contest! The ball was knocked down by the Cowboys, Gray runs back to get it, he jinks about gives to Mitchell, and Trell then offloads back for him running around the back to burrow over.
Drinky! Superb conversion from the sideline.
...or not. A Rabbitohs error hands the ball to Jason Taumalolo, then Purdue gets his second, and his side's fourth of the game.
Strong momentum swing to the Cowboys since the Wighton hip-drop penalty, almost like the Bunnies' heads dropped. Plenty of time and a small margin, though!
Drinkwater hammers it over from in front for a converted-try lead.
Purdue comes back against the grain and catches the Bunnies defenders flat-footed. Try time under the sticks and the 'away' side are now in front.
Cowboys force another error from Souths, this time deep in their own half. Huge chance for them now.
Oh dear. Souths lose it through Wighton just one tackle off the scrum. Cowboys back with it on their own 40m.
Taumalolo loses the ball in a tackle inside his own half. Souths' scrum on the 40m.
Another poster, Drinkwater's attempt hammers into the fibreglass.
Gray is caught out of position and a superb grubber from dummy half by Robson sees McIntyre get on the pounce. Scores level.
It's a PENALTY to the Cowboys. Wighton penalised for a hip drop after the Bunker intervened.
Neame makes a break and finds Drinkwater who looks to run the last 20m to the line but... he's dragged down! Sensational cover tackle!
End to end footy from this pair of teams. Much cleaner hands too, which could be because the field is entirely in shade now as the afternoon drags on in the west.
Arrow is up and about again. Play goes on with the Bunnies getting a 20m restart.
Cowboys nearly score through Purdue but the grounding isn't there and Souths come away with it. Time off now on the next play with Jai Arrow down injured.
Trell converts from close range.
An early penalty and off that set, Jai Arrow crashes over!
We're back in action. Souths with it. Moale's HIA passed so he's back on.
The clock runs down and despite a cheeky early kick from Latrell Mitchell sending Gray after the ball, Drinkwater pounces on it and the siren goes moments after. Cowboys by two at the change of ends.
A promising Cowboys attacking raid down the left side fails when Dearden tries to go himself instead of using his support runners.
Drinkwater's conversion attempt flies across the face of the goal.
Taulagi gets on the end of a left side play and despite a strong tackle, gets the ball down.
No short dropout! Cowboys just work it toward the line as a result.
North Queensland force Jye Gray in-goal off an excellently placed downtown kick. Drop-out.
Souths with some good attacking play after picking up a set restart but the last tackle play sees Dearden force an error from Jai Arrow. Handover.
HIA: Davvy Moale is removed from the contest by the independent doctor for a head injury assessment. If clear he'll be able to return after the break.
Cowboys get a set restart and Griffin Neame spills it next play. Not a great afternoon if you own a pair of hands on either side.
Souths error after points. Cowboys scrum 20m out... big chance to get their first try now.
Mitchell... hits the post. No goal.
Euan Aitken has his first four-pointer in the cardinal and myrtle after a good ball from 'Trell.
Souths pick up a penalty for a lazy leg pull in a tackle. New set starts 40m from the Cowboys' line.
The scrum doesn't pack in time and the Cowboys get a penalty as a result. Drinkwater takes the easy two.
A downfield kick from Tom Dearden is chased well and forces an error from the Rabbitohs backs. HUGE chance here for first points for North Qld.
Handy penalty for the Cowboys which sees them start a new set just short of halfway.
Jason Taumalolo makes a break and is dragged down by Jye Gray and then the ball pops out. Handling errors aplenty so far, both sides completing under 65% early on.
Last-tackle kick from Souths is comfortably taken in-goal by Derby. 20m restart.
Souths looking likely as Sean Keppie busts through and is dragged down before the line... and he loses it.
Murray Taulagi spills the ball in a tackle inside the Bunnies' half. Rabbitohs scrum
... never mind. Souths lose it on tackle two. Cowboys scrum.
Cowboys penalised while in possession coming out of their own end. Souths with a full set about 25m from the visitors' line...
Cowboys field a high kick by Latrell, Robert Derby catches it and looks like he's lost it but seems to have held it, but then loses it in a subsequent tackle. The Cowboys challenge and it's successful with the Rabbitohs defenders raking the ball out with two in the tackle. Cowboys PENALTy.
Game on. Cowboys have the ball first on a sunny West Australian afternoon.
The Cowboys are out onto the Optus Stadium pitch which is looking good after the Sharks-Sea Eagles clash earlier. They're wearing their 1995 World Sevens alternate jersey. Souths aren't far behind with their traditional red and green hoops, opting for black shorts and trim.
Souths have won 7 of the last 9 against North Queensland - but those two wins for the Cowboys are the last two contests between them in 2023 and 2024.
Not much team news to report - the Rabbitohs are 1-17 while the Cowboys have just one change with John Bateman out of the side, replaced by Sam McIntyre in the back row. Harrison Edwards comes onto the bench.
The second session of the Super Saturday double header in Perth sees the fifth-placed Rabbitohs play 14th-place Cowboys. Kickoff is set for 3:30pm local time (5:30pm AEST).
Referees & scorers:
Referee: Todd Smith
Touch Judges: Jarrod Cole, Tyson Brough
Video Referee: Matt Noyen
SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS (16)
Tries: Euan Aitken, Jai Arrow, Jye Gray
Conversions: Latrell Mitchell (2/3)
NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS (24)
Tries: Murray Taulagi, Sam McIntyre, Jaxon Purdue (2)
Conversions: Scott Drinkwater (2/4)
Penalty Goals: Scott Drinkwater (2/2)