Valentine Holmes and Scott Drinkwater performed starring roles because the Cowboys recorded their fifth straight win, after incomes a tricky away victory over the Sea Eagles at 4 Pines Park.
Drinkwater scored a second half attempt to appeared threatening al night time, recording 163 working metres and 6 deal with busts.
Off a sub-standard efficiency for Queensland on Wednesday night time, Holmes hit again in a giant manner in opposition to the Sea Eagles, offering loads of highlights in assault and defence.
The eight factors allowed to Manly is the very best whole within the Cowboys final three video games, with North Queensland solely conceding 14 factors in that span.
MATCH CENTRE: Manly Sea Eagles vs North Queensland Cowboys stats
Watch each recreation of each spherical of the 2023 NRL Telstra Premiership Season LIVE on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >>>
North Queensland had the primary actual likelihood of the sport to get on the scoreboard however a attempt to Tom Dearden was disallowed after a slight knock-on from Coen Hess within the lead up.
The Sea Eagles would make the Cows pay quickly after because of debutant Dean Matterson, who scored a strive with simply his second contact at NRL stage after some sensible play from Jason Saab.
Matterson, youthful brother of Eels star Ryan, entered the sport for Reuben Garrick (HIA) and was on the receiving finish of an unselfish move from Haumole Olakau’atu, who in all probability might have crossed himself.
Saab was the catalyst although, leaping excessive to reel in a Daly Cherry-Evans bomb earlier than miraculously offloading the ball out earlier than going to floor which was caught by Olakau’atu.
“That’s just his second touch in the NRL and he’s a tryscorer,” Warren Smith stated.
Garrick would move his evaluation and return to the sport within the first half.
After impressing on defence for a lot of the primary half, the Manly floodgates opened with the Cowboys scoring two tries in three minutes.
Val Holmes made one thing of nothing to arrange the Cowboys first strive, breaking via some gentle defence, working 40 metres and giving it off to Cotter who scored below the put up.
Three minutes later, Tom Dearden put over Jeremiah Nanai, who went over for his third strive in 4 video games.
“They are so efficient on the edges. That was tremendous stuff once again,” Warren Smith stated.
Cowboys halfback Chad Townsend hit a 35-metre area objective on the stroke of halftime to make sure a rugby union rating was on the playing cards with North Queensland heading to the sheds in entrance 13-4.
After each side wasted good probabilities early within the second half, it could be Manly who hit again with a strive via Brad Parker.
Lachlan Croker’s big run off a fast faucet put Manly into an attacking place, and some performs later, Parker would run a pleasant line off a Josh Schuster ball and cross.
It can be fairly the turnaround for the house workforce because the Cowboys had a strive disallowed (obstruction) within the earlier set.
That strive was one spotlight for Parker, who had a really robust recreation, particularly defensively.
With the Sea Eagles threatening to take the lead within the subsequent 5 minutes with quite a few attacking units, they weren’t in a position to capitalise.
Holmes supplied one other spotlight reel play, touchdown a bone-shattering deal with on Olakau’atu.
“What an incredible play,” Parker stated on Fox League.
North Queensland gave the impression to be revitalised after the Holmes hit and have been in a position to march down the sphere quickly after. Some particular person brilliance from the purple scorching Scott Drinkwater ensured the Cowboys would retake a two-try lead.
Drinkwater stood at first receiver ten metres from the Manly line earlier than slicing again inside and making a few defenders look foolish to attain.
“Why drink wine when you can drink water. He’s been in scintillating form has Scott Drinkwater,” Corey Parker stated on Fox League.
There can be no addition to the rating within the remaining 25 minutes, with the Cowboys unable to place the ultimate nail within the coffin however their resolute defence meant they might find yourself working out comfy 11 level winners.
“They are flying towards September,” Warren Smith stated.
READ ON FOR OUR 3 BIG HITS FROM THE GAME…
SHADES OF ‘22 AS NQ DEFENCE GOES FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH
The 19-8 scoreline probably isn’t a real indication of the Cowboys dominance, however the eight factors placed on by Manly is reflective of North Queensland’s excellence on defence.
Remarkably, the Cowboys have solely allowed 14 factors throughout their previous three matches.
Manly had quite a few probabilities on the Cowboys line within the second half as they tried to bridge the margin again however Todd Payten’s males had different concepts.
The most pleasing facet was the very fact it was a collective effort, with the forwards, halves and out of doors backs all measuring up with some large defensive performs.
Five-eighth Tom Dearden was anticipated to have his fingers full with barnstorming second rower Haumole Olakau’atu throughout from him, however he dealt with the problem with aplomb.
“He’s like a little terrier, Tommy Dearden,” Corey Parker stated after considered one of Dearden’s objective line tackles on Olakau’atu.
Payten should be thrilled to see his aspect flourish on the defensive aspect of the ball contemplating that was the primary purpose they ended up in a prelim remaining final season.
Perhaps Cowboys followers dare to dream of going a pair higher this season as their workforce have now confirmed that 2022 was no fluke after a really sluggish begin.
DREAM DEBUT FOR MATTERSON
Dean Matterson was thrown into the fray a lot sooner than anticipated for his maiden NRL outing after fullback Reuben Garrick went off for a HIA after copping an unintentional elbow within the twelfth minute.
The 25-year-old crossed for a strive 5 minutes later to cap his welcome to the highest grade after some particular person brilliance from Jason Saab to take a bomb below stress and get a flick move away earlier than being tackled.
His teammates mobbed him in unbelievable scenes after touching down, and ensured he obtained a hero’s reception when he returned to the bench after Garrick cleared his HIA.
Manly coach Anthony Siebold stated he was pleased with the hassle of the primary gamer, whereas calling on the remainder of his interchange to step it up over the approaching weeks.
“Dean hasn’t done any reps at right centre,” Siebold stated.
“He’s got a great journey making a debut at 25. It’s something he may have thought had passed him by.
“I thought he was good off the bench for us and added some impact.
“We need more from the rest of our bench. I feel as though they need to add a bit more when they come on. If you look at the Cowboys bench they were really good.
“We have to keep fighting.”
– Sean Teuma (NCA Newswire)
MAROONS BRIGADE ON FIRE
After an Origin sequence win, the Cowboys’ Queensland contingent introduced that power to their membership in a giant manner.
The 5 gamers named within the Maroons 18 on Wednesday night time all backed up and confirmed their class all through the night.
Valentine Holmes linked completely with Reuben Cotter, whereas Tom Dearden put Jeremiah Nanai via a gaping gap to wrestle momentum into North Queensland’s favour throughout a key five-minute interval of the primary half.
While some groups have opted to relaxation gamers the weekend after, it’s a call that has confirmed one for the Cowboys after they downed the Rabbitohs after the second Origin three weeks in the past.
– Sean Teuma (NCA Newswire)
Source web site: www.foxsports.com.au
