NRL
[Source: NRL News]
North Queensland winger Murray Taulagi replicated his wizardry skills from last year’s Magic Round to help guide the Cowboys to a much-needed 20-6 win over the Roosters.
Taulagi helped set up the Cowboys’ third try of the afternoon out of nothing and put the game beyond doubt with a double-kick effort to send Chad Townsend over the line and set up an 18-0 lead.
The play gave Todd Payten’s side an almighty advantage as the Roosters struggled to have any momentum with their completion rate sitting at under 70 percent for most of the contest.
A penalty goal late sealed victory against a Roosters side who was kept scoreless for the first time since Round 16, 2021.
Both sides spent the opening 10 minutes fending off torrential rain and light hail at Suncorp Stadium as the heavens opened up at kick-off to create a different scene to the match played between the Dragons and Wests Tigers only moments earlier.
The Cowboys got on the board first to lead 6-0 with a flat ball from Reece Robson to Coen Hess enabling the prop to pop an offload for Reuben Cotter to go over next to the posts.
They extended their lead with a Townsend five minutes into the second half when Jack Gosiewski pounced on a Nat Butcher error in-goal to get the ball down simultaneously according to the NRL Bunker.
Taulagi’s effort minutes later made the Roosters’ challenge a tough one to overcome and their afternoon only worsened when the errors continued to mount and the Cowboys’ defence remained on song close to the line.
A try to Angus Crichton with a minute left gave the Tricolours a small consolation but it was too little, too late as the Cowboys got back in the winner’s circle.
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