WESTS TIGERS 28 NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS 34
TOM SMITH, Leichhardt Oval, Sunday

SCOTT DRINKWATER’S North Queensland spoiled Wests Tigers’ 2005 premiership anniversary celebrations and silenced a packed Leichhardt Oval.

Taking to their spiritual home in a replica of the kit they wore on that famous title-winning run 20 years ago, the Tigers led 28-16 with a quarter of an hour remaining.

But the Cowboys stunned the partisan crowd with three tries in five minutes to end Wests’ faint finals hopes.

Fullback Drinkwater led the fightback win with two try assists, while Tigers halfback Adam Doueihi left the ground in an ambulance after an ugly head knock in the first half.

The Cowboys shot out of the blocks with two early tries: the first to Jeremiah Nanai steaming onto a Jake Clifford pass, the second to Semi Valemei in the right corner.

But Taylan May then struck back with a quick-fire brace either side of a Fonua Pole double movement.

The highlight of the afternoon came just before the break, when a Taylan May flick pass wound back the clock to 2005 and Jahream Bula finished a length-of-the-field move.

Tom Dearden’s intercept levelled the scores before Jarome Luai and Brent Naden crossed within two minutes of each other to send Leichhardt into raptures.

But Valemei snared his second then Drinkwater released both Braidon Burns and Purdue to complete a mighty comeback.

TIGERS: 1 Jahream Bula, 2 Sunia Turuva, 3 Taylan May, 19 Brent Naden, 5 Jeral Skelton, 6 Jarome Luai, 7 Adam Doueihi, 8 Terrell May, 9 Api Koroisau, 10 Fonua Pole, 11 Samuela Fainu, 12 Sione Fainu, 13 Alex Twal. Subs (all used): 14 Latu Fainu, 15 Royce Hunt, 16 Charlie Murray, 17 Tony Sukkar

Tries: Taylan May (17, 24), Bula (38), Luai (60), Naden (62); Goals: Koroisau 4/5

COWBOYS: 1 Scott Drinkwater, 2 Semi Valemei, 3 Jaxon Purdue, 4 Viliami Vailea, 5 Braidon Burns, 6 Jake Clifford, 7 Tom Dearden, 8 Jordan McLean, 9 Reece Robson, 10 Jason Taumalolo, 11 John Bateman, 12 Jeremiah Nanai, 13 Reuben Cotter. Subs: 14 Karl Lawton, 15 Harrison Edwards, 16 Zac Laybutt (not used), 17 Thomas Mikaele

Tries: Nanai (4), Valemei (10, 66), Dearden (49), Burns (68), Purdue (71); Goals: Drinkwater 5/6

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-4, 0-10, 4-10, 10-10, 16-10; 16-16, 22-16, 28-16, 28-22, 28-28, 28-34

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Tigers: Taylan May; Cowboys: Scott Drinkwater

Penalty count: 4-3; Half-time: 16-10; Referee: Peter Gough; Attendance: 16,055