Jason Taumalolo’s return from injury inpsired his North Queensland Cowboys side to a 28-14 victory over Gold Coast Titans.
Taumalolo had played less than 100 minutes this season but scored a try and ran for 200 metres on his return to the side.
The game didn’t start well for the Titans. Their fullback, Michael Gordon, had to leave the field with concussion before the Cowboys scored the first try through Jake Granville.
After Ash Taylor had a try disallowed for a knock on, the Titans did respond when a nice move to the left finished with AJ Brimson sliding over. But Brimson was powerless to stop Jason Taumalolo crashing over, on his return from injury, to move the Cowboys eight-points clear.
Gold Coast thought they had scored an incredible try in response as they went the full length of the field through Brimson and Tyrone Peachey but the try was pulled back due to Phillip Sami’s interference on the chasing Granville.
Two penalties from Jordan Kahu extended the Cowboys’ lead to 12 at the break before Kevin Proctor’s try halved the deficit five minutes into the second half.
Anthony Don’s try, in a sixth consecutive game, brought the Titans within two points. But tries from John Asiata’s and Justin O’Neill’s gave the home side a three-score lead which was enough for victory.
Cowboys: Kahu, O’Neill, Opacic, Tuala, Hampton, Asiata, Morgan, Scott, Granville, McLean, Cooper, McGuire, Taumalolo; Interchanges: Baptiste, Hess, Bolton, Molo
Tries: Granville, Taumalolo, Asiata, O’Neill; Goals: Kahu 6
Titans: Gordon, Don, Peachey, Kelly, Sami, Roberts, Taylor, Wallace, Rein, Boyd, Proctor, Cartwright, Arrow; Interchanges: Brimson, Fotuaika, Hipgrave, King
Tries: Brimson, Proctor, Don; Goals: Taylor
Full match reports of all this weekend’s NRL games will feature in Monday’s League Express.
