Cowboys to keep points from win

NORTH Queensland’s toptwo hopes have received a boost with the NRL set to rule out stripping the Cowboys of premiership points despite legal threats from Wests Tigers over Sunday’s bunker outrage.

ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys is confident the Tigers’ 27-26 loss in Townsville will not lead to a bitter courtroom dispute and has vowed to seek an urgent meeting with officials from the joint-venture club.

The Tigers will ask to see the full report by NRL footballoperations chief Graham Annesley. The report will be sent to the ARL Commission for analysis.

Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis, a lawyer, has not ruled out litigation and believes the Cowboys should lose two competition points to Wests if an investigation shows NRL officiating processes robbed his club of victory.

But it is understood the result from a drama-charged afternoon at Queensland Country Bank Stadium will not be overturned by NRL bosses.

That means the Cowboys will remain in second place on 28 competition points, crucially nudging North Queensland ahead of five teams – Cronulla (26), Brisbane (26), Melbourne (24), Souths (24) and Parramatta (24) – in the battle for a top-two spot.

A place in the top two is a huge advantage because it would give the Cowboys the opportunity to play two consecutive home games in Townsville in their push for a grand final appearance.

V’landys believes bunker official Ashley Klein erred by awarding the Cowboys a match-winning penalty after the full-time siren, but said a messy legal bunfight with the Tigers was unlikely.

“I am confident it will not come to legal action,” he said.

“We will sit down and work things out with the Tigers.”