COWBOYS BITTEN BY SHARKS
North Queensland fightback halted by controversial no-try ruling. Joel Gould reports
THE Sharks kept their top two hopes alive with a ruthless 26-12 win over the Cowboys after a try to North Queensland powerhouse Jason Taumalolo was controversially denied in the second half in Townsville on Friday night.
Taumalolo was denied a try when Reece Robson, in support, was ruled to have prevented Cronulla’s Braden Hamlin-uele from making a tackle when he just got ahead of Taumalolo as he barged over for what would have given the home side the lead.
“When we talk about the feel of the game and letting the game flow, that is a really silly decision,” Brent Tate said in Fox League commentary.
“There is just no common sense in that rule or that decision.”
Cowboys coach Todd Payten said: “I don’t know how [Hamlin-uele] was going to stop JT.
“I think he would have pushed him further into the in-goal area. It was a big moment and it went against us … but in the end they shouldn’t have scored the next try.”
Minutes later Sharks playmaker Nicho Hynes set up a try for Teig Wilton with a grubber and a 12-point swing had eventuated in the blink of an eye.
Both teams played like top-four outfits destined to go deep into September. The Cowboys, without seven top 17 stars, were unbelievably brave to fight back from a 12-0 deficit.
The Sharks were slick and quick from the opening with centre Jesse Ramien powering over for two tries
A super catch and pass by Luciano Leilua in his first starting game for the Cowboys was the catalyst for Kyle Feldt to cross for his 13th try against Cronulla in 15 games.
A cracking pass from Chad Townsend put Hamiso Tabuai-fidow over on the cusp of halftime while Blayke Brailey was in the bin, and it was game on before Hynes stepped up when he was needed to take the Sharks to equal second on the ladder with the Cowboys.
Cowboys half Townsend said in an interview with Fox League in the warm-up that he’d long marked his first game against the club he won the 2016 premiership with down on the calendar.
It was a game he’d been salivating over. He walked the talk and proved once again why he has been one of the buys of the year.
The veteran half stepped up in the absence of Tom Dearden and schemed all game.
He was heavily involved in the first try, and set up the second.
The Cowboys rested Maroons heroes Jeremiah Nanai, Dearden and Valentine Holmes but rugged forward Tom Gilbert backed up.
They were also without the ill or injured Murray Taulagi, Jordan Mclean, Reuben Cotter and Heilum Luki but did not drop their bundle. –