Source : the age
North Queensland commemorated club legend Jason Taumalolo’s 300th NRL game with an upset 26-12 victory over ladder-leading Penrith, while the Dolphins lost star half Isaiya Katoa while claiming an eighth straight win against the Warriors.
Two tries to back-rower Jeremiah Nanai, the latter coming from a flying kick retrieval effort over star Panthers Brian To’o and Dylan Edwards, proved the difference for the Cowboys who ended their three-game losing run.
But it would be Taumalolo who ended Saturday’s home game the toast of Townsville, swamped by teammates after the 14-point victory, his first milestone victory.
With Tonga’s Queen and Prime Minister watching in the stands amid a big crowd, the blockbusting dual international turned back the clock with a massive 155 run metres, including one bruising run that resulted in a head injury assessment for Penrith counterpart Isaiah Papali’i.
The Cowboys – who have now recorded the most victories over Penrith since the Panthers’ historic run of form commenced in 2021 – set the tone early by forcing a Moses Leota error in the first play of the game.
A minute later, winger Murray Taulagi crossed for the game’s first four-pointer in an ominous glimpse into Penrith’s immediate future.
A week on from their shock 19-18 loss to the Gold Coast, Penrith looked bound for another defeat north of the border early in the first half after recording an uncharacteristic seven errors.
They turned the tide two minutes before the break, capitalising on a mistake from Taulagi when Panther Tom Jenkins scored his second try out wide following a magic cross-field kick from Jack Cogger.
Tied up at 10-apiece into the break, Penrith edged ahead with a Nathan Cleary penalty goal early in the second half. But, with errors and ill-discipline creeping back in, only the Panthers’ superb goal-line defence kept them in the fight.
Two costly penalties gifted the Cowboys back the lead, before late tries to Nanai and halfback Jake Clifford confirmed a famous North Queensland victory.
Earlier, Dolphins sharpshooter Jamayne Isaako landed a 78th-minute sideline conversion to secure a 26-24 win over the Warriors after star halfback Katoa suffered a dislocated wrist injury.
Points whiz Isaako became the first player in 118 years to score 12 or more points in a match in nine consecutive matches in his 14-point haul that included two tries.
The previous five matches between the two sides had been decided by four points or fewer and they turned on another classic in front of 40,465 fans at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.
Warriors bench utility Samuel Healey crashed over in the 75th minute to give the visitors a 24-20 lead after an error by winger Selwyn Cobbo.
But Cobbo responded in true style to storm over three minutes later to level it up with his second try of the match. Isaako landed the conversion from wide out to secure an eighth straight win for the Kristian Woolf-coached Dolphins.
Katoa, the Dolphins’ key man, left the field in the 13th minute after medicos put his dislocated wrist back in place. He sat on the bench with his left arm in a sling.
Bench utility Brad Schneider came on but it was off-contract five-eighth Kodi Nikorima who took control.
Warriors winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak succumbed to a hamstring injury in the second half as both sides showed enormous courage.
The Warriors – without gun forwards James Fisher-Harris, Jackson Ford and Leka Halasima – showcased their depth with second-rower Jacob Laban having a blinder.
Nikorima notched his 23rd line-break assist, the most in the NRL this season, when he put centre Herbie Farnworth over.
He then stripped the ball off Warriors Adam Pompey on the cusp of half-time and Isaako scored to secure a 16-12 lead.
The genius of Isaako came to the fore when his magic hands scooped up a Jack Bostock grubber at full tilt to score a classic try.
The Warriors hit back with winger Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and Healey giving the visitors the lead.
It was set up for Dolphins heroics and Cobbo and Isaako provided them.
AAP
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