Match Report: NRL Round 25 vs Cowboys

After rocketing to a 28-16 lead late in the second half, a late comeback from the visitors allowed them to snatch victory.

The Cowboys posted first points when Jeremiah Nanai crashed over after three minutes.

Semi Valemei then crossed on the end of a backline shift to extend the North Queensland lead, before things went from bad to worse for Wests Tigers when Adam Doueihi was ruled out after suffering a head knock.

Taylan May got Wests Tigers on the board with a powerful run to the left corner, before a clever short-side play from Luai levelled proceedings at Leichhardt. May grabbed his double on the end of that move, before the home side put together one of the most incredible team tries you’re ever likely to see.

Samuela Fainu combined with Luai, before Taylan May ended up with the ball and produced a Benji Marshall circa 2005-esque flick pass to Tito Turuva. Turuva managed to get the ball back to Jahream Bula who finished off a truly incredible try.

Wests Tigers took a 16-10 lead into halftime, however Tom Dearden’s counter-attacking effort brought scores back to 16-16 in the 48th minute.

Bula then sliced straight through the Cowboys line before passing back on the inside to Luai, who grabbed his first Wests Tigers try in spectacular fashion.

From there, Brent Naden pounced on a kick to extend the Wests Tigers lead out to 28-16.

However, it was all Cowboys from that point on.

In the space of minutes, Valemei grabbed his second, before Braidon Burns and Jaxon Purdue both crossed for four-pointers.

Despite their best efforts, Wests Tigers couldn’t find a match-levelling try, with the Cowboys finishing 34-28 victors in Round 25.

Cowboys 34 (Valemei 2, Nanai, Dearden, Burns, Purdue tries; Drinkwater 5/6 goals) defeated Wests Tigers 28 (Ta. May 2, Bula, Luai, Naden tries; Koroisau 4/5 goals) at Leichhardt Oval.