NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS 30 PARRAMATTA EELS 33
TOM SMITH, Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Friday

MITCHELL MOSES booted Parramatta to a golden-point victory over North Queensland in a wild, see-sawing contest in Townsville. 

Late tries to Jordan Samrani and Joash Papalii – and Moses’ missed conversions – sent the game into extra-time, when the Eels skipper stepped up with a field-goal. 

In a strange footnote, Scott Drinkwater was penalised for pressure on the kicker, handing Ronald Volkman another two points despite the result being decided. 

Parra had lost five from six thanks to a horror injury toll, but overcame their personnel issues to mount a stunning fightback away from home. 

For the hosts, Jason Taumalolo broke Johnathan Thurston’s club record for most appearances in a Cowboys jumper, but they lost Tom Dearden late to an apparent leg injury. 

Brian Kelly opened the scoring off a Volkman kick inside three minutes, before Heilum Luke replied thanks to Dearden. 

Eels dummy-half Tallyn Da Silva and Cowboys stand-off Jake Clifford traded tries to make it 12-10 at the break, before Josh Addo-Carr won the race to another Volkman kick to give the visitors the lead. 

Addo-Carr snagged an intercept second but Jaxon Purdue, Reed Mahoney and Tom Chester all struck from long range to give North Queensland an eight-point buffer. 

Samrani and Papalii scored spectacular tries in the last five minutes to give us a grandstand finish. 

Then after Moses missed his conversion attempts and swapped unsuccessful field-goal attempts with Clifford, the Parramatta ace capitalised on a Volkman bust in golden-point. 

COWBOYS: 1 Scott Drinkwater, 2 Braidon Burns, 3 Jaxon Purdue, 4 Tom Chester, 5 Zac Laybutt, 6 Jake Clifford, 7 Tom Dearden, 10 Jason Taumalolo, 9 Reed Mahoney, 16 Thomas Mikaele, 11 Heilum Luki, 12 Sam McIntyre, 13 Reuben Cotter. Subs: 8 Coen Hess, 14 Soni Luke, 15 Griffin Neame, 17 Matthew Lodge, 20 Kai O’Donnell (not used), 22 Robert Derby (not used) 

Tries: Luki (10), Clifford (29), Purdue (51), Mahoney (56), Chester (68); Goals: Clifford 5/5 

EELS: 1 Joash Papalii, 2 Brian Kelly, 3 Jordan Samrani, 4 Sean Russell, 5 Josh Addo-Carr, 6 Ronald Volkman, 7 Mitchell Moses, 8 Luca Moretti, 9 Tallyn Da Silva, 17 Charlie Guymer, 11 Kelma Tuilagi, 12 Jack Williams, 13 Jack De Belin. Subs: 10 Junior Paulo, 14 Dylan Walker, 15 Saxon Pryke, 16 Toni Mataele, 18 Apa Twidle (not used), 19 Teancum Brown (not used) 

Tries: Kelly (3), Da Silva (22), Addo-Carr (48, 60), Samrani (75), Papalii (77); Goals: Moses 3/6, Volkman 1/1; Field-goals: Moses (81)

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-4, 6-4, 6-10, 12-10; 12-16, 18-16, 24-16, 24-22, 30-22, 30-26, 30-30; 30-31, 30-33

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Cowboys: Jake Clifford; Eels: Jordan Samrani 

Penalty count: 0-4; Half-time: 12-10; Referee: Liam Kennedy; Attendance: 17,827