Cowboys stun Sea Eagles with late comeback
Lachlan Croker #LachlanCroker
North Queensland scored three tries in three minutes to snatch a stunning 28-26 defeat of Manly at 4 Pines Park on Friday night.
Trailing 26-12 just seven minutes from fulltime, the Cowboys mounted a remarkable comeback as Reece Robson, Murray Taulagi and Valentine Holmes crossed in succession to shock the Sea Eagles.
The Cowboys did so after losing Queensland forward Reuben Cotter in the warm-up with a hamstring injury that has him in doubt for next weekend’s Origin in Perth and they never really looked like winning until the dying stages.
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Cotter’s night over before it starts
Until the late onslaught, it appeared that Manly hooker Lachlan Croker had spearheaded the home team to an impressive win after laying on a try and scoring two in the second half but the Sea Eagles fell agonisingly short.
Match snapshot
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Beware the second kick
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Harper splits them, Garrick finished them
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Holmes gets the Cowboys on the board
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Two-ipulotu
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Lachlan goes long
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Holmes run play
Play of the game
The Cowboys had never really looked like winning until Connelly Lemuelu scored a spectacular try in the 73rd minute to put the visitors within striking range. Jason Taumalolo started the movement and Tom Dearden put Valentine Holmes hurtling through a hole but Lemuelu still had some work to do.
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Lemuelu scores a great rugby league try
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NRL Press Conference: Sea Eagles v Cowboys – Round 15, 2022
What’s next
The Sea Eagles host the Storm in the next instalment of the Battle of Brookvale at 4 Pines Park on the Thursday after Origin II, while the Cowboys continue their epic rivalry with the Broncos in a Queensland derby clash on Saturday, July 2.
Manly coach Des Hasler will be monitoring the fitness of Maroons captain Daly Cherry-Evans just four days after playing in Perth and lock Jake Trbojevic may also be involved.
The Sea Eagles also have a host of players involved in international fixtures during the stand-alone representative round, including Samoa’s Martin Taupau, Josh Schuster, Toff Sipley and Josh Aloiai, Kiwi playmaker Kieran Foran and Tonga’s Haumole Olakau’atu, Tolutau Koula and Christian Tuipulotu.
Cowboys coach Todd Payten may have the services of new recruit Luciano Leilua available for the Broncos clash after the Samoa forward was granted an early release by Wests Tigers.
Valentine Holmes and Jeremiah Nanai are expected to retain their places in the Queensland team and they could be joined by either Murray Taulagi or Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, while Reuben Cotter is in doubt after injuring his hamstring in the warm-up.
Jason Taumalo (Tonga), Peta Hiku and Griffin Neame (both New Zealand) will be on international duty next weekend.