Cowboys vs Rabbitohs: Live NRL updates from Townsville

Live: Cowboys vs Rabbitohs in Townsville

By Jon Healy

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16

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75' Souths desperate for points

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By Jon Healy

A long break by Matt Dufty takes him up over 300 running metres for the afternoon, but also sees him nursing a headache after being hammered by Heilum Luki.

Souths force a dropout and get another repeat set as Jaxon Purdue gets a hand on a long pass.

72' Another crucial Matt Dufty error

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By Jon Healy

Just as we lament not seeing Jye Gray, his replacement drops the ball again, handing the Cowboys field position.

70' Adam Elliott is off with a knee injury

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By Jon Healy

The South Sydney lock appears to have dislocated his left knee cap and he's limping off with pain and fury and frustration on his face.

That's also the last substitution for the Rabbitohs, so we won't see Jye Gray today.

TRY! Heilum Luki scores for the Cowboys!!

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By Jon Healy

North Queensland looks mighty scrappy in attack but manages to find a proper bomb from Jake Clifford.

Matt Dufty takes it and is hit by Scott Drinkwater, who forces the error.

The Cowboys waste no time and give the ball to one of their biggest weapons, as Heilum Luki bounces out of the tackle of Keaon Koloamatangi and crashes over.

67' Miraculous try-saver by Tom Chester

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By Jon Healy

The Cowboys centre has been one of their best today, and he's come up with a stunning try-saving tackle on Alex Johnston, who looked certain to score on the left.

Somehow Chester defended the overlap, then turned and chased 15 metres, leapt to grab Johnston by the hips and managed to bring him down and force the error.

65' Can Jye Gray make an impact in the last 15 minutes?

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By Jon Healy

The livewire fullback hasn't made it on the field yet, but he could be a difference maker with his team in dire need of points here.

LIAM SUTTON GETS HIS FIRST TRY!

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By Jon Healy

Jason Taumalolo and Matt Lodge are back on the park and it's completely changed the game for the Cowboys, getting them rolling up the park.

Tom Chester has a dip and is just brought down, but the ragged defence is no match for the jinking footwork and a bit of power from five-eighth Liam Sutton, who gets over for his first NRL try in his second game.

Penitani has two on debut!

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By Jon Healy

The Rabbitohs accidentally charge down Scott Drinkwater's kick and Ashton Ward does exceptionally well to clean up and put Souths on the attack.

The Rabbitohs load up to the left, but Cody Walker swings to the right and gives them the extra man, with Ward throwing another superb two-man cut-out pass to Talanoa Penitani, who brushes between Liam Sutton and Drinkwater to score his second on debut.

50' Tom Chester bombs a certain try!

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By Jon Healy

The Cowboys spin it inside their own red zone and Scott Drinkwater unleashes Tom Chester. He flies 60 metres upfield and has Zac Laybutt inside as he approaches last line of defence in Matt Dufty, but instead of taking the easy option, Chester tries an in and away. He's corralled by Dufty and Chester throws a forward pass.

Laybutt and Jaxon Purdue were both looming up with 30 metres left to the tryline. A guaranteed six points go begging for the Cowboys, who have been pretty ordinary in attack to start the second half.

Drinkwater said before the game that the 18-12 win over the Roosters last week was "boring", and they're playing like they're bored with percentage footy right now.

48' An unhappy moment for the new kid

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By Jon Healy

The bomb puts Talanoa Penitani in the firing line of a flying Robert Derby. He stays grounded but he's served his purpose, clearly spooking Penitani and creating the error.

47' AJ goes mighty close

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By Jon Healy

The South Sydney left side is humming after a clunky first half, but they've found some space out wide and unleashed Alex Johnston.

He gets within centimetres of scoring, but Scott Drinkwater's cover defence is enough to force the knock-on at the last second.

46' Resolute defence from the Rabbits

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By Jon Healy

The Cowboys try going over them, through them and around them, but the Souths jerseys just keep turning up.

Eventually the raid ends with Reed Mahoney's grubber trapped by Lachie Hubner.

He gets possession and Mahoney refuses to accept the referee's call, giving away a penalty as he insists on hanging on to the ball.

43' Duncan's brilliant try-saver keeps Souths in the game

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By Henry Hanson

Sam McIntyre goes over in the left corner, but the onfield decision is no try.

And the bunker upholds the call.

Tallis Duncan's rasping last-ditch tackle means McIntyre can't get the ball down.

As you were.

18-6 North Queensland.

We're back for the second half

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By Henry Hanson

Sounths have a big second-half ahead of them.

North Queensland has looked elite going forward so far today and they're currently 35m out from the Rabbitohs' line.

HALF-TIME: Cowboys rolling with an 18-6 lead over Souths

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By Jon Healy

Two-point field goal for the Cowboys!

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By Jon Healy

What a strike from Jake Clifford and that is as good as you can hit a drop kick.

He adds two more points from 45 metres out as the half-time siren sounds.

Slick from the Cowboys

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By Jon Healy

These are two elite attacking outfits and they're turning it on now.

Tom Mikaele takes a run through the middle and gets a quick play the ball. The Cows waste no time spinning it right and Scott Drinkwater makes the call to pin the ears back, burning Cody Walker for pace before offloading to Tom Chester to dive in.

31' The bunker upholds another no try

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By Jon Healy

Souths think they have a case as Lachie Hubner and Euan Aitken go down while chasing a grubber that eventually rolls dead, but Grant Atkins thinks the contact with Liam Sutton is all above board.

I agree and, perhaps more importantly, so too does the bunker. The Rabbitohs can just consider themselves lucky that the chasers weren't called off side.