Legend’s first try in 1426 days inspires Cowboys turnaround

Cowboys coach Todd Payten coach is speaking now.

He says he’s proud of how his team responded to last week.

“We had to get past it. The boys were sprightly on Monday, they were ready to work,” Payten said.

“It was an easier week, to be fair. It wasn’t about tactics, just about attitude.

“I’m really proud of their efforts and that we held our nerve.

“I’d take a win any way it comes, but we played with a fair bit of control and I didn’t think the game was in doubt after 18-4. We stuck at it.

“We had to do it the hard way, defending our line in the first half and with the sin bin in the second half.”

“I have no doubt about who we are and what we can be.

“I stressed this on Monday, one game doesn’t define who we are.”

Gold Coast coach Josh Hannay is speaking now.

“I feel like we’re out of sorts at the moment. The last fortnight has been uncharacteristic for this group,” Hannay said.

“It looks, physically, like we’re spent. That’s not an excuse, we’re still saying all the right things and know what we need to do – we aren’t able to meet the physical challenge at the moment.

“The cohesion was lacking a little. A significant change to the spine and a five-day turnaround, it’s a lot of whiteboard stuff.”

Says the team has a ten-day turnaround now and can physically recharge and reset.

“We’re confident in the group we’ve got here. It’s a young group we’re building around it and nights like tonight and last week don’t change that.”

A nice bounce back for North Queensland after last week’s embarrassment. Their top eight destiny is still very much in their own hands.

Drinkwater hits Luki with a fantastic short ball after a runaround with Cotter and the big man goes 50 metres to score, swatting Kini aside in the process. Beautiful stuff from creator and scorer.

Drinkwater converts and it’s a big lead now at 30-8 Cowboys.

Purdue links with Drinkwater through the middle, he puts a great move on Fotuaika and Cotter charges onto the pass to score under the posts and blow the scoreline right out….only for the Bunker to intervene, they’ve spotted an obstruction in the lead up from Neame.

Titans hang on, just.

The halfback is straight back on the field and makes an immediate impact – he goes from dummy half about 15 shy of halfway, splits some soft defence and rounds Kini to score a sensational solo try.

Drinkwater converts and it’s 24-8 Cowboys. They’re back in control.

That didn’t take long! The Titans run a nice pattern down their left, Campbell connects with Kini and he fires a good ball to Sami who scores in the corner!

That draws him level with Anthony Don as the club’s all-time leading tryscorer.

Campbell from touch….he can’t swing it through. Cowboys lead18-8.

Fifita makes a bust down the right, he fires a pass on the inside to Brimson and it’s forward for your life but the ref says play on!

Purdue wraps him up, holds him down and gets penalised. He’s off to the bin and the Titans are on the attack. A massive moment in the match!

Campbell kicks for the corner, there’s a contest between Sami and Burns, De Groot pounces on the loose ball and he’s claiming it!

I don’t like his chances though, it was a messy contest. Sami is ruled to have knocked it on. Cowboys ball.

Big news out of Bondi with Tedesco succumbing to his ankle injury. He’s out of tomorrow night’s blockbuster with Cody Ramsey to start at fullback.

And we’re halfway home.

Some pretty good footy in patches through that first half, Titans will be very disappointed with some of their defence.

Kini throws an awful pass to Haas’ ankles and the big fella knocks it on. Cowboys will get the last say before halftime.

Purdue goes short to Luki, he absolutely tramples De Groot and smashes his way over the line! So long as he’s got this down clean it’ll be a try….and he has!

Great strength from the backrower. Drinkwater from out wide, he swings the kick through and it’s 18-4 Cowboys.

A Brimson pass on the last is knocked on and the Titans will get more ball inside the attacking half…only for Campbell to throw a pass over the sideline! It was intended for Sami and he couldn’t quite hit the pedal to reel it in, he’s been carrying a knee injury since he scored the try.

Laybutt’s pass goes to ground and Fifita picks it up. A try here would be huge, the Titans have had the better of the last few minutes.

Brimson slides through and can see the line but Drinkwater just manages to drag him down. Campbell’s bomb on the last is knocked on by Burns and the Titans have some more good ball.

Campbell goes short to De Groot and he slings a nice one-handed pass to Sami who dives over in the corner!

Nicely worked by Gold Coast. Campbell can’t convert and it’s 12-4 Cowboys.

Clifford takes a bomb and slings a pass out the back to Cotter who puts it over the line! But referee Adam Gee rules the pass was forward and then, to compound things, Cotter is ruled to be offside.

Lucky escape for the Titans, they’re just keeping touch right now.

Taulagi gets a hand to a pass and knocks it on, Titans have a fresh set on the attacking 40.

A high tackle helps them build some pressure. Brimson dinks a kick through on the last, Ieremia has a shot at the ball but it’s a very difficult chance and he can’t get it down.

Cowboys restart from the 20.

A set restart puts the Cowboys back in the red zone, Purdue jumps out of dummy half and he’s got Clifford running a good, hard line to score an easy try.

That was soft and that was ominous. Drinkwater converts and it’s 12-0 in quick time.

Taumalolo loses it as he brings the ball back from the kick off to put the Titans right on the attack.

It’s not much of a set and they knock it on late in the count. Cowboys hang on.

Drinkwater nails a 40/20 to put the Cowboys on the attack.

Just a few plays later Luke drops Taumalolo over and he powers his way in for a try! I can’t believe it! That’s his first try in four years!

Drinkwater converts and it’s 6-0 Cowboys.