NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS 30 SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS 18
TOM SMITH, Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Sunday

SCOTT DRINKWATER and Jake Clifford guided North Queensland to a comprehensive win over injury-hit South Sydney.

Forward Adam Elliott (knee) and debutant Talanoa Penitani (hamstring) limped off late, while Keaon Koloamatangi and Alex Johnston appeared hobbled.

Drinkwater and Clifford assisted four of their team’s five tries to power the Cowboys to their seventh win of the season after a slow start to 2026.

The Rabbitohs’ third loss from their last four starts ends an emotional week, after Jai Arrow announced his retirement having been diagnosed with motor neurone disease.

The rugby league community has rallied around the Queensland Origin rep, who finishes his career with 178 games for the Broncos, Titans and Rabbitohs.

These two teams left Magic Round last weekend in different moods, after the Bunnies fell to the Dolphins and the Cowboys upset the Roosters.

Both Todd Payten and Wayne Bennett avoided the worst of the State of Origin selection merry-go-round, losing only Reuben Cotter and Cameron Murray respectively.

Bennett also had headaches on the injury front, missing talisman Latrell Mitchell (back) as well as Campbell Graham (calf).

But the 76-year-old master coach did regain record try-scorer Johnston plus Jayden Sullivan (both knee), and handed an NRL debut to Penitani, brother of NRLW pair Tiana and Natasha.

Matt Dufty lined up at fullback for his 100th NRL appearance.

In his 150th match as an NRL coach, Payten welcomed back Jason Taumalolo from a week off, although still went in minus key men Tom Dearden (ankle), Jeremiah Nanai (shoulder) and Murray Taulagi (concussion).

Drinkwater lobbed a perfect pass to help Zac Laybutt open the scoring inside five minutes in the right corner.

Although Penitani soon replied up the other end, collecting a looping two-man cut-out by Dufty then scampering 20 metres to the stripe.

Latrell Siegwalt – deputising with the kicking tee for Mitchell – then booted a penalty goal to put the Bunnies in front.

But on the end of a Clifford intercept, Drinkwater assisted another – this time for hooker Reed Mahoney.

The mercurial fullback’s best moment came in the 35th minute, when he slashed through the line of red-and-green jumpers then popped a flick offload to standout try-scorer Tom Chester.

Then on the stroke of half-time, Clifford made it 18-6 by drilling a two-point field-goal from 45 metres out.

Tallis Duncan stopped Sam McIntyre from stretching North Queensland’s soon after the restart, before Drinkwater returned the favour on Johnston.

But stand-off Liam Sutton – playing just his second NRL game with Dearden sidelined – eventually added to the Cowboys’ tally, dancing his way through the Rabbitohs’ stretched goal-line defence.

And Heilum Luki bounced off Dufty and Koloamatangi to put the result well and truly beyond doubt.

Johnston added a late consolation try to his record tally thanks to a neat Cody Walker pass, although Penitani’s hamstring injury in the final minute compounded the Bunnies’ horror afternoon.

GAMESTAR: Fullback Scott Drinkwater assisted the Cowboys’ three first-half tries to set up a solid victory.

GAMEBREAKER: Second-rower Heilum Luki crashed over with twelve minutes left to put the contest to bed.

MATCHFACTS

COWBOYS
1 Scott Drinkwater
2 Robert Derby
3 Jaxon Purdue
4 Tom Chester
5 Zac Laybutt
6 Liam Sutton
7 Jake Clifford
8 Thomas Mikaele
9 Reed Mahoney
10 Matthew Lodge
11 Heilum Luki
12 Sam McIntyre
13 Jason Taumalolo
Subs
14 Viliami Vailea (not used)
15 Griffin Neame
17 Coen Hess
18 Xavier Kerrisk
19 Ethan King (not used)
20 Wiremu Greig

Tries: Laybutt (5), Mahoney (26), Chester (35), Sutton (61), Luki (68)
Goals: Clifford 4/5
Two-point field-goals: Clifford (40)

RABBITOHS
14 Matt Dufty
2 Alex Johnston
3 Latrell Siegwalt
4 Tallis Duncan
5 Talanoa Penitani
6 Cody Walker
7 Ashton Ward
8 Tevita Tatola
9 Peter Mamouzelos
10 Sean Keppie
11 Euan Aitken
12 Keaon Koloamatangi
13 Adam Elliott
Subs
1 Jye Gray (not used)
15 Lachlan Hubner
16 Jamie Humphreys
17 Liam Le Blanc
18 Thomas Fletcher
19 Edward Kosi (not used)

Tries: Penitani (15, 56), Johnston (77)
Goals: Siegwalt 3/4

SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0, 4-4, 4-6, 10-6, 16-6, 18-6; 18-12, 24-12, 30-12, 30-18

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Cowboys: Scott Drinkwater; Rabbitohs: Talanoa Penitani

Penalty count: 2-6
Half-time: 18-6
Referee: Grant Atkins
Attendance: 18,888