Cowboys stay in finals race, Warriors secure top-four finish
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North Queensland have kept their finals hopes alive, with fullback Scott Drinkwater starring in a 34-10 win over the Dolphins at Suncorp Stadium.
Drinkwater had two try assists, four line-break assists, scored a try and landed five conversions in another classy performance to take the Cowboys to ninth on 30 points.
They are equal with South Sydney but behind the Rabbitohs on for-and-against.
The Cowboys travel to Penrith next Saturday, where they must win to play in the semis.
The visitors led 24-0 at the break but the Dolphins camp was fuming that winger Kyle Feldt was not penalised in the 14th minute for a karate-style kick to the mouth of halfback Sean O’Sullivan when the Cowboys winger caught a bomb.
Feldt, who led with a foot, scored his 128th career try at the other end a minute later.
“It should have been a penalty,” Greg Alexander said in Fox Sports commentary.
North Queensland’s Scott Drinkwater tries to give Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow the slip on Friday night.Credit: Getty
Cowboys rookie centre Zac Laybutt scored a try double in the first half and Drinkwater finished a sweeping movement to score one of his own, started by a superb cut-out pass by five-eighth Tom Dearden to winger Murray Taulagi.
The Cowboys were desperate in defence from the start.
Dearden and Laybutt saved what appeared a certain Jamayne Isaako try, showing the resolve of a side with their season on the line.
Drinkwater saved another try with a last-ditch effort on Dolphins lock Kenny Bromwich.
Dolphins forward Josh Kerr was sin-binned and put on report for a hip-drop tackle on Taulagi.
Laybutt was also put on report for a dangerous tackle on Isaako while he was in the air that flipped the winger onto his back.
Isaako was sent for a head injury assessment by the independent doctor but returned after half-time.
Dearden set up Taulagi for a try after the break with another cracking face ball to put the game out of reach for the hosts.
Jamayne Isaako beats Tom Dearden to score in the corner.Credit: Getty
Isaako, the NRL’s leading pointscorer and tryscorer, stepped off both feet on a 35-metre run to the try line, and then notched his second with a dazzling finish in the corner to take his season tally to 23 tries.
The Cowboys’ 19-year-old bench forward Kulikefu Finefeuiaki showcased his enormous potential with a one-handed flick to put centre Peta Hiku over in his 200th NRL game, with prop Jordan McLean also celebrating his double-century in style.
Warriors overcome loss of Metcalf to injury
Warriors coach Andrew Webster has hailed his side’s “unbelievable” top-four finish after an 18-6 win over St George Illawarra locked them in for a double chance in the post-season.
The win guaranteed at least one Australian side will face the challenging task of competing at the Warriors’ New Zealand fortress in the finals.
A stifling defensive effort carried them to their seventh straight win, although it came at a cost with five-eighth Luke Metcalf leaving Mount Smart Stadium on Friday night clutching his hamstring in what could prove a huge blow just a fortnight from the finals.
Coach Andrew Webster didn’t know the extent of the injury post-game but said it wasn’t the same hamstring that sidelined Metcalf until round 13 this season.
Metcalf’s absence didn’t help a Warriors side that lacked attacking creativity. They were held try-less for 55 minutes after two early scores before a late four-pointer sealed the win.
“Top four is an unbelievable achievement for the club – the whole club should be really proud. But we go to another goal now,” Webster said.
AAP
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