Cowboys 20
Bulldogs 22
A late burst from Canterbury secured a win over North Queensland in their battle of the also-rans at Dairy Farmers Stadium last night.
Leading for 75 minutes, the Cowboys were mowed down by a rampaging Bulldogs outfit who ran in three tries in four minutes at the death.
The home
team piled on 10 points in the opening eight minutes, led 14-6 at halftime and were 14 ahead with just 11 minutes left to play before Bulldogs hooker Michael Ennis darted over from dummy-half to spark the comeback.
Bryson Goodwin scored off the very next set to ensure a tense finish and Steve Turner levelled the scores in the 75th minute after dashing 90m when a terrible Matt Bowen kick landed in his arms.
Goodwin then played hero with his sideline conversion securing the unlikely win.
Cowboys centre Ty Williams bagged a double in his 149th game in his final season. He opened the scoring in the first minute, then dragged Turner and Daniel Rauicava over the line in the 20th minute.
His namesake John Williams did well to ground a kick from stand-in halfback Aaron Payne in the sixth minute, the winger also converting twice to open up a 14-0 lead.
Centre-cum-second rower Jamal Idris notched up his side's first points late in the first half but the litany of dropped ball continued to plague the Bulldogs.
Grant Rovelli planted the ball down for what looked like a match-winning 20-6 lead in the 60th minute after a Bowen kick wrong-footed Bulldogs fullback Luke Patten.
But the late hat-trick of tries to the visitors ensured the Cowboys' horror season continues, the club sitting last of the competing teams with just five wins and having lost nine of their last 10 clashes.
Under-20s forward and Kirwan State High School student Jason Taumalolo made history, making his debut as the youngest ever Cowboy in the club's 16 years,
Taumalolo took to the field in the 65th minute at the age of just 17 years and 82 days, almost a year younger than the previous holder of the mantle, club legend Josh Hannay.
Bulldogs 22 (M. Ennis, J. Idris, J. Morris, S. Turner tries; B. Goodwin 3 gls) Cowboys 20 (T. Williams 2, G. Rovelli, J. Williams tries; Williams 2 gls)
* Melbourne have made it clear they can't wait for their season from hell to finish and you can bet Cronulla feel much the same. The Storm continued the Sharks' misery with a convincing 24-4 victory at AAMI Park.
The match attracted Melbourne's smallest crowd of the year - just 8902.
Both teams toiled hard although the Storm showed, with or without competition points, they were a cut above.
They scored four tries, with skipper Cameron Smith the only player to cross the line in the opening half. His side led 6-0 at the break.
Storm 24 (R. Hinchcliffe, S. Manu, D. Nielsen, C. Smith tries; Smith 4 gls) Sharks 4 (L. Covell try).