In an astonishing turn of events, North Queensland has staged a remarkable comeback to secure a 35-31 victory over the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium.
Brisbane faced significant challenges with a depleted squad and were forced to rely on reserve hooker Josh Rogers for a quarter of the game due to concussions suffered by Cory Paix and Blake Mozer.
It seemed as though former Cowboys player Tom Duffy was destined to haunt his old team as he successfully kicked a field goal in the 74th minute, putting the score at 31-30.
However, Scott Drinkwater quickly responded, levelling the score with a field goal from a difficult angle just two minutes later, setting the stage for a thrilling finish.
The Cowboys struck the final blow when they capitalised on fatigue, driving up the field. Heilum Luki scored the last try after North Queensland exploited a significant overlap to clinch the win.
Heilum Luki celebrates his try. Getty
“This is absolutely unbelievable. I’m at a loss for words… the Broncos simply ran out of defenders,” Cameron Smith remarked during the broadcast on Nine.
“This has been one of the most thrilling matches of the season so far, simply extraordinary.”
A pivotal moment occurred with the Broncos ahead 30-24 with just 16 minutes left in the game.
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After a dropped kick by Tom Chester, Brendan Piakura seized the opportunity and scored, extending the lead to 34-24.
However, referee Ashley Klein summoned the Bunker to review a potential obstruction involving Gehamat Shibasaki and Chester.
The Bunker concluded that Shibasaki was focused solely on Chester and did not impede the Cowboys centre’s ability to catch the ball.
North Queensland legend Johnathan Thurston expressed his doubts regarding the validity of the call.
“Doesn’t his eyeline follow the ball directly into Tommy Chester’s hands?,” he questioned.
“… it was just a clean drop.”
Smith concurred, suggesting that the Broncos may have been unfairly treated.
“The argument I would present is that Tom Chester had an unobstructed view of the ball throughout,” he said.
“He had the right to catch the football, and he didn’t. I could understand if Shibasaki had come through with his arms raised, obstructing Chester’s sight of the ball. But he didn’t impede Chester’s view at all.”
Ultimately, the decision for obstruction proved to be a game-changing moment, allowing the Cowboys to rally for their fourth consecutive win.
Compiled by SportArena.au
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