North Queensland Cowboys Hold Off Late Titans Rally in Their Quest for a Top Eight Finish

A dramatic late rally by the Titans fell short against the Cowboys, who secured a vital 30-24 victory in a tussle on the Gold Coast this past Sunday, propelling them closer to the top eight.

Currently languishing in 12th place on the premiership ladder, Todd Payten’s side was keenly pursuing a win to keep their finals hopes alive.

However, despite occupying the last spot on the standings, the Titans proved to be a formidable opponent and made the Cowboys work hard for their triumph.

With just five minutes remaining and trailing by 12 points, Phillip Sami broke through the scrambling Cowboys defence to score in the corner, reducing the deficit to a converted try.

“We have an exciting finish on our hands,” exclaimed Nine commentator Peter Psaltis.

“The Cowboys were returning to the defence slowly … they’re just trying to catch their breath,” remarked Cameron Smith.

As the Cowboys aimed to slow down the play and push the Titans back into their territory with the last kick of the match, they were startled by a charging Tino Fa’asuamaleaui.

The Titans captain’s attempt at a charge down saw the ball bounce into touch, prompting him to urgently request that it be handed back to his teammates.

His pleas were not heeded by the Bunker, sealing the outcome of the match.

“It was a high-risk play from the skipper. He wanted that charge down,” Smith commented.

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The Cowboys set an aggressive pace right from the start, with Zac Laybutt crossing for the first try only seven minutes into the match.

A series of back-to-back errors handed the Cowboys critical attacking opportunities, culminating in Murray Taulagi extending their lead to 12 points.

The Titans faced even greater challenges with their hooker Sam Verrills sidelined after suffering an eye poke from Cowboys five-eighth Jake Clifford.

Verrills showed visible discomfort as the on-field medic assessed whether the injury’s severity warranted concern, especially given his history of surgery for a semi-detached retina back in 2021.

He was quickly taken off the field but was later cleared to return for the second half.

Immediately following Verrills’ departure, Beau Fermor seized a precise pass from Kieran Foran, charging through the Cowboys defence to score the Titans’ first points.

Scott Drinkwater got the scoring underway in the second half before cleverly kicking through for Jeremiah Nanai, increasing the Cowboys’ margin.

A clumsy in-goal dismissal by Tom Dearden opened the door for AJ Brimson to score for the Titans in the 54th minute, with Jojo Fifita adding their second try in the 64th.