THE BOYS ARE BACK COWBOYS BELT DOGS
FULL MATCH WRAP- UP
NORTH Queensland fans finally had something to cheer about last night as the Cowboys snapped a two- game losing streak with a stirring victory at ANZ Stadium over the Canterbury Bulldogs.
Townsville product Michael Morgan was the star of the show as he produced a stellar display in the halves to steer his team to the muchneeded win in Sydney.
Stand- in captain Gavin Cooper ( pictured) was also one of the Cowboys best in the 30- 14 result, while young forward Coen Hess continued his stellar 2017 by bagging two tries.
PUT down your glasses, the Queensland five- eighth conundrum is over.
Before the Cowboys’ 30- 14 win against Canterbury in Sydney last night, Michael Morgan was probably fourth in line, on form at least, behind Corey Norman, Daly Cherry- Evans and Anthony Milford.
But after a sluggish start to the year, he has leapt to the top of the pecking order after his scintillating display helped the Cowboys square their season ledger at 5- 5 and return to the top eight.
He set up four tries with kicks, an area of his game which has been roundly criticised, and scored one himself as the Cowboys set up an 18- 0 halftime lead.
Morgan has played all five of his Origins off the bench but with Maroons coach Kevin Walters watching on from the Fox Sports commentary box, he has surely stamped his ticket to be in the No. 6 jersey in Brisbane on May 31.
The win proved the Cowboys, and Morgan himself, can play strong football without Johnathan Thurston, who is racing the clock to be fit for Origin I with a shoulder issue.
If he makes it back in time, it would only enhance Morgan’s chances of his first run- on game for Queensland.
The only downside for the Cowboys was an ankle injury to fullback Lachlan Coote with just a minute left in his return from a month out with a calf injury.
The Cowboys weren’t at their best, but only needed a solid showing to be far too strong to expose a Bulldogs side which has plenty of concerns in attack and defence.
Canterbury gifted the visitors three tries by failing to clean up grubber kicks on their own line.
Up front, Cowboys prop Scott Bolton ( 168 metres) is in the form of his life and Jason Taumalolo did what Dally M medallists do.
Their pack rediscovered the toughness which has been missing in recent games.
In their first match at ANZ Stadium since their grand final win in 2015, the signs were there early when last minute hero Kyle Feldt scored on the same patch of grass where he produced the most famous try in Cowboys history.
A cross- field kick from Morgan created the four- pointer and it was seemingly the confidence booster both men needed.
The Bulldogs applied plenty of pressure on the Cowboys midway through the first half, but the pressure valve was released when Jackson was penalised for obstruction again on the first tackle of a third consecutive set.
In the 26th minute Morgan scored himself when the Dogs online defence fell for a dummy, the five- eighth bursting through a meek effort from David Klemmer and Moses Mbye to give the Cowboys a 12- 0 lead.
Just before halftime the Cowboys extended their lead to 18- 0 when Coen Hess scored his seventh try of the year off another Morgan kick.
And when Hess secured a double thanks to yet another pinpoint Morgan kick, the two points were secured.
Kerrod Holland scored two consolation tries, including one when Cowboy Ray Thompson was sin binned for repeat infringements, but it was far too late for a Bulldogs side with plenty of soul searching to do.