SYDNEY ROOSTERS 12 NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS 18
CALLUM WALKER, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Saturday

NORTH QUEENSLAND shrugged off a late Roosters onslaught to make it seven wins from eleven games in 2026.

The Cowboys led 18-6 at half-time and failed to score any points in a second half that was dominated by Trent Robinson’s men – but crucially conceded just once.

The Roosters actually began the brighter of the two sides, Connor Watson feeding Robert Toia with a delightful grubber as Cody Ramsey took Toia’s pass to cross in the corner.

It was Ramsey’s first four-pointer in 1,351 days after overcoming ulcerative colitis, but that was as good as it got for the Roosters in the first half.

North Queensland weren’t helped by Matt Lodge being sent to the sin bin for a dangerous tackle, before Braidon Burns crossed around the midway point in the first half to restore parity.

Scott Drinkwater was the next man over the line five minutes later, Toia spilling a Jake Clifford bomb into the arms of the Cowboys’ fullback.

It was three tries in nine minutes on the half-hour mark, Burns getting his second following good work on his inside by Jaxon Purdue.

Clifford converted all three for an 18-6 lead at the break.

Hugo Savala dotted down just before the hour to reduce the deficit to six and set up a grandstand finish, even if the Cowboys did hold on.

ROOSTERS: 1 James Tedesco, 2 Daniel Tupou, 3 Hugo Savala, 4 Robert Toia, 5 Cody Ramsey, 6 Daly Cherry-Evans, 7 Sam Walker, 8 Naufahu Whyte, Reece Robson, 10 Lindsay Collins, 11 Angus Crichton, 12 Siua Wong, 13 Connor Watson. Subs: 14 Egan Butcher, 15 Spencer Leniu, 16 Nat Butcher, 17 Salesi Foketi (not used), 18 Fetalaiga Pauga, 19 Reece Foley (not used)

Tries: Ramsey (10), Savala (55); Goals: Walker 2/2

COWBOYS: 1 Scott Drinkwater, 2 Braidon Burns, 3 Jaxon Purdue, 4 Tom Chester, 5 Zac Laybutt, 6 Liam Sutton, 7 Jake Clifford, 8 Thomas Mikaele, 9 Reed Mahoney, 10 Matt Lodge, 11 Heilum Luki, 12 Sam McIntyre, 13 Reuben Cotter. Subs: 14 Xavier Kerrisk (not used), 15 Griffin Neame, 16 Robert Derby (not used), 17 Coen Hess, 18 Wiremu Greig, 19 Ethan King (not used)

Tries: Burns (23, 32), Drinkwater (28); Goals: Clifford 3/3; Sin bin: Lodge (12) –  dangerous tackle, Cotter (55) – professional foul

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 6-6, 6-12, 6-18; 12-18

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Roosters: Connor Watson; Cowboys: Braidon Burns

Penalty count: 7-5; Half-time: 6-18; Referee: Todd Smith; Attendance: 49,813