NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS 14 DOLPHINS 40
CALLUM WALKER, Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Saturday
JAMAYNE ISAAKO registered 16 points as the Dolphins’ second-half onslaught proved far too much for a shellshocked Cowboys outfit.
Kristian Woolf’s side only led 16-10 at the break, but three late tries from Kurt Donoghoe, Selwyn Cobbo and Tom Flegler ensured the two points in a fiery Queensland derby.
On the teamsheets, Reuben Cotter and Soni Luke returned for the Cowboys, with Robert Derby and Xavier Kerrisk dropping out.
Meanwhile, there were six changes for the Dolphins as Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Herbie Farnworth, Kodi Nikorima, Max Plath, Cobbo and Flegler all came back in.
Both sides were locked on 16 points going into this fixture and the fast and frenetic nature of the early exchanges reflected that.
In fact, it took just six minutes for Cobbo to pick up a loose ball in his own 20-metre area and fend off Tom Chester three times for a scintillating long-range score.
North Queensland hit back moments later when Liam Sutton fed Murray Taulagi, who dotted down in the corner. Jake Clifford’s wayward conversion, however, left Dolphins with a 6-4 lead.
Then came a moment of controversy with Chester atoning for his earlier failure to rein in Cobbo with his own four-pointer. Cobbo, according to the Bunker, knocked the ball from the Cowboys centre’s grasp, so when Chester planted the loose ball down with his left hand over the line, the try was given.
However 10-6 was as good as it got for the Cowboys as, after Connelly Lemuelu went close, Isaako took a wonderful Jack Bostock offload to cross in the corner on the half-hour.
That became two tries in four minutes with the hosts bringing the pressure on themselves. Jaxon Purdue lost possession from a carry in his own 20-metre area as Bostock found Isaiya Katoa for a hammer blow just before the break.
Even then, the Cowboys were only down six points at 16-10. But that deficit was doubled on 48 minutes when Tabuai-Fidow finished off a wonderful Lemuelu break.
Chester grabbed his second shortly after Clifford had kicked a brilliant 40/20, but from then on it was all the Dolphins as Woolf’s men turned the screw.
Todd Payten would have been seriously disappointed by his side’s inability to keep Donoghoe out from close range off a nothing play as Isaako made it 28-14 with the boot.
That ensured the Cowboys had to score three tries to complete an unlikely comeback, which was made impossible with nine minutes to go when Cobbo grabbed his second.
Just to rub salt into the home side’s wounds, Flegler crashed over next to the posts with the hooter in sight after more good work by substitute Donoghoe.
Isaako’s sixth goal rounded things off to make it 40-14 – a scoreline that was barely believable 20 minutes earlier.
GAMESTAR: Jamayne Isaako scored one try and converted six goals for a 16-point haul.
GAMEBREAKER: Three late Dolphins tries blew the scoreline and the Cowboys out of the water.
MATCHFACTS
COWBOYS
1 Scott Drinkwater
2 Zac Laybutt
3 Jaxon Purdue
4 Tom Chester
5 Murray Taulagi
6 Liam Sutton
7 Jake Clifford
8 Thomas Mikaele
9 Reed Mahoney
10 Jason Taumalolo
11 Heilum Luki
12 Sam McIntyre
13 Reuben Cotter
Subs
14 Soni Luke
15 Griffin Neame
16 Matt Lodge (not used)
17 Coen Hess
19 Ethan King
20 Wiremu Greig (not used)
Tries: Taulagi (15), Chester (20, 52)
Goals: Clifford 1/3
DOLPHINS
1 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
2 Jamayne Isaako
3 Jack Bostock
4 Herbie Farnworth
5 Selwyn Cobbo
6 Kodi Nikorima
7 Isaiya Katoa
8 Tom Flegler
14 Jeremy Marshall-King
10 Francis Molo
11 Connelly Lemuelu
12 Kulikefu Finefeuiaki
13 Morgan Knowles
Subs
9 Max Plath
15 Kurt Donoghoe
16 Tom Gilbert
17 Ray Stone
18 Felise Kaufusi (not used)
19 Brad Schneider (not used)
Tries: Cobbo (6, 71), Isaako (30), Katoa (34), Tabuai-Fidow (48), Donoghoe (67), Flegler (79)
Goals: Isaako 6/7
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 4-6, 10-6, 10-12, 10-16; 10-22, 14-22, 14-28, 14-34, 14-40
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Cowboys: Liam Sutton; Dolphins: Jamayne Isaako
Penalty count: 8-5
Half-time: 10-16
Referee: Wyatt Raymond
Attendance: 21,911