Live: Ryan Papenhuyzen injured early as Cowboys struggle with depleted Storm

That’ll do us. It’s an important win by the Cowboys, it puts them in the box seat for a home final, but they’ll be unhappy with the amount of points they conceded tonight.

Storm did very well considering they lost two backs early and were already playing without many of their stars.

Wishart goes short to Lisati, he punches through, sells Drinkwater a dummy and the debutant front-rower has scored an outstanding solo try! What a beauty!

Wishart converts and it’s 38-30 Cows.

Back to back penalties puts the Cowboys on the attack and the chance for Holmes to put his side out to a 14-point lead and he makes no mistake. Cows lead 38-24. 

Clifford pokes a kick to the corner, it takes two wicked bounces and falls perfectly for Nanai, who brings it around under the posts to score the game that should wrap this game up.

Holmes converts and it’s 36-24 Cowboys.

Dearden takes them on, beats two defenders, looks for Robson on the inside but Lisati knocks the pass down only for Robson to get to the loose ball anyway and score. This game keeps going back and forth and once Holmes converts it’s 30-24 Cowboys. 

Wishart forces drop outs on back-to-back sets, the Cowboys go short, Clifford flies high to tap it back, it falls to Neame, he loses it and Wishart is there to score an easy try! Dominant stuff from the most improved player in the NRL – can he round it out by nailing the goal and levelling the scores?

You bet he can – we’re locked up at 24-all.

Moeroa gets hit high by Taumalolo and Wishart takes the two from right in front and Melbourne pull it back to 24-18. 

Dearden swings it back to the blind where he finds Drinkwater, he shoots a pass out to Holmes, on to Taulagi and back to Holmes for a very slick try.

Holmes nails the kick and it’s 24-16 Cowboys.

Storm get us started for the second stanza!

A woolly old half, that. Plenty of points, an early mark for Papenhuyzen….feels like it’s right up for grabs right now.

Clifford pressures Fa’alogo into an error off a towering Drinkwater bomb and on the next play the Cowboys go left, Nanai gets it to Feldt and he’s over for his second.

What a strange old half of footy – can Holmes put the Cowboys in front at the break? He’s been in top form from the sideline lately….and he drills it! It’s 18-16 Cowboys. 

Wishart breaks down the left from the scrum, Nanai totally overreads it and Wishart sells him a huge dummy to go over! Geez that’s poor from Nanai and very sharp from Wishart, he’s one of the most improved players in the league, the Storm utility.

Wishart converts his own try and it’s 16-12 Storm. 

Munster goes short to Macdonald and he looks to reach out and score….it initially looks like a double movement but upon another viewing the ball just stays off the ground.

That’s two tries in two weeks for the hard-working forward – not a bad return given he only had one in his whole career before that!

Wishart converts…no he doesn’t, it smashes into the post! Storm narrow the gap to 12-10. 

Fox Sports is reporting Papenhuyzen has a cork in his upper leg. He won’t be back tonight but that might just be precautionary. I’ll bring you more news as soon as I have it. Seve won’t be back tonight either, he has an ankle issue.

Dearden links with Drinkwater and Holmes and they put Taulagi over in the corner. Melbourne are still trying to form up after the injuries to Papenhuyzen and Seve and the Cowboys take advantage. Holmes converts from touch and it’s 12-6 Cowboys. 

Big news with the Storm fullback leaving the field. No word yet on what the injury may be. Fa’alogo has gone to fullback, Anderson has switched to the wing and Keegan Russell-Smith comes on at halfback.

A high tackle on Seve gives Melbourne a chance at reply. Munster angles a kick out to the wing, Anderson tips it back inside to Seve and he slams it down! But the video ref says he’s knocked it on.

A crusher tackle on Luki puts the Cowboys on the attack, Drinkwater slides to the outside of Munster and flicks a beautiful back-hander pass that Feldt catches and scores!

Great pass from Drinkwater and a nice moment for Feldt, who announced earlier this week he’ll be leaving the club at the end of the season for the Super League.

Holmes converts from touch and it’s 6-all.