Brisbane’s season over after 18-10 loss to North Queensland in Townsville
Joel Gould
Brisbane’s title defense was done and dusted after North Queensland kept their own finals hopes on track with a deserved 18-10 derby win in Townsville.
The Broncos will become the first NRL premiership champions to miss the finals since the 2005 champion Wests Tigers failed to finish in the top eight in 2006.
Their dismal season of failure was crushed in front of a sold-out crowd on Saturday night by a Cowboys team brilliantly led by club legend Jason Taumalolo.
Brisbane have four wins out of eight on 18 points and even if they win the remaining six games the best they can finish is 12 wins.
This is not enough to play in the final. Brisbane’s odds are so bad at -132 for and against that even the collapse of the teams ahead of them wouldn’t help their case.
Coach Michael Maguire will come under increased scrutiny for his lack of results from his superstar squad.
“I’m pretty shattered for my players and staff… but it’s not our time yet,” Maguire said.
“We have 6 games ahead of us and we will focus on the next one.”
The Cowboys, who were in eighth place with 26 points, had all the top players at key positions, including Taumalolo running back Payne Haas.
North Queensland halfback Jake Clifford was left out of the starting team last week but returned with flying colors with some of the best batting play in either side.
Cowboys center Tom Chester was dazzling, and fullback Scott Drinkwater played with a composure that Broncos receiver Reece Walsh lacked.
North Queensland coach Todd Payten lit the fire with his pre-match statement that “everyone hates the Broncos” and his players delivered.
“I am very happy for the team, the city and the club,” Payten said. “It was a good performance by our kids. We started fast and physical.”
The home team also coped with the challenges much better.
Cowboys hooker Reed Mahoney suffered a concussion in the seventh minute and was out of the game.
Taumalolo thundered in from Broncos’ cross in the 31st derby encounter and five-eighth Jaxon Purdue’s pinpoint cross was swooped in by striker Heilum Luki for the opening try.
Broncos’ No. 6 player Ezra Mam made a perfect move for forward Xavier Willison to score.
Both sides bombarded tries on the line, but Drinkwater’s cut-out pass on the break saw winger Braidon Burns race towards the touchline. He came to Walsh and bowled him wide before laying it out to Clifford for a 14-4 lead.
The Cowboys built a 12-point lead before Walsh forced Burns to make a mistake with a high bomb. The Broncos fullback threw the money ball for Mam to throw a cracker at.
Just as my mother was about to add another one, Brisbane winger Josiah Karapani took the penalty and the home team took the lead by eight points.
The Broncos’ most experienced players, Adam Reynolds and Ben Hunt, were both off the pace in big moments.
Cowboys co-captain Reuben Cotter was awarded the Carl Webb Medal as man of the match, in honor of the late legend of both clubs, who lost his battle with Motor Neurone Disease in 2023.
There was a lot of heat in the match, with North Queensland trio Griffin Neame, Purdue and Heilum Luki reported, while Brisbane duo Preston Riki and Kotoni Staggs were also booked.
AAP
