ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS 0 NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS 32
CALLUM WALKER, Jubilee Stadium, Kogarah, Saturday

THERE was never any doubt that the Cowboys would take the two points back to Townsville as St George simply couldn’t live with the pace and power of their opponents.

The Dragons have yet to win a game during the 2026 NRL campaign, and, on this evidence, they don’t look like changing that anytime soon.

It took North Queensland just twelve minutes to break the deadlock as Scott Drinkwater dotted down, though Jake Clifford couldn’t convert.

Try as they might, St George went close on a number of occasions but steely Cowboys defence kept the hosts out, and when the visitors got the ball in dangerous territory, they made the Dragons pay.

Jaxon Purdue crossed on the half-hour mark, before the centre registered a double with the hooter in sight. Clifford’s two conversions sent the Cowboys into the sheds 16-0 up.

St George must have been confident of adding points whilst Reuben Cotter was in the sin bin for a professional foul five minutes into the second half, but it was Todd Payten’s men that struck instead through Braidon Burns.

The foot was well and truly on the pedal now for North Queensland with Murray Taulagi getting in on the act before Clifford himself rounded things off with a deserved try and his fourth goal.

DRAGONS: 1 Clint Gutherson, 2 Christian Tuipulotu, 3 Moses Suli, 4 Valentine Holmes, 5 David Fale, 6 Lyhkan King-Togia, 7 Daniel Atkinson, 8 Emre Guler, 9 Damien Cook, 15 Blake Lawrie, 11 Luciano Leilua, 12 Jaydn Su’a, 13 Hamish Stewart. Subs: 10 Toby Couchman, 14 Jacob Liddle,16 Jacob Halangahu, 17 Hame Sele, 18 Josh Kerr (not used), 19 Tyrell Sloan (not used)

COWBOYS: 1 Scott Drinkwater, 2 Braidon Burns, 3 Jaxon Purdue, 4 Tom Chester, 5 Murray Taulagi, 6 Jake Clifford, 7 Tom Dearden, 8 Coen Hess, 9 Reed Mahoney, 10 Jason Taumalolo, 11 Heilum Luki, 12 Sam McIntyre, 13 Reuben Cotter. Subs: 14 Soni Luke (not used), 15 Griffin Neame, 16 Thomas Mikaele, 17 Matt Lodge (not used), 19 Zac Laybutt, 20 Kai O’Donnell

Tries: Drinkwater (12), Purdue (30, 39), Burns (51), Taulagi (62), Clifford (79); Goals: Clifford 4/6; Sin bin: Cotter (45) – professional foul

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-4, 0-10, 0-16; 0-22, 0-26, 0-32

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Dragons: Luciano Leilua; Cowboys: Jake Clifford

Penalty count: 10-5; Half-time: 0-16; Referee: Wyatt Raymond; Attendance: 8,491