NRL: Tigers too good in Townsville

Benji Marshall. Photo / Getty Images

Cowboys 18

Wests Tigers 38

It was the highlight of the match and a reminder why the West Tigers cannot be written off in the NRL.

Skipper Robbie Farah went right on his 40m line, exposing both markers, slung a pass left to five-eighth Benji Marshall, who drew further defenders before slipping a pass inside to Tim Moltzen. Moltzen steamed through the gap, dummied North Queensland fullback Matt Bowen and scored.

It put the Tigers out to a 24-10 lead which kept them far enough ahead for the final 25 minutes. It was their first victory in four matches and pushed them back into the top eight. The Cowboys remain fifth on 26.

It was fitting Bowen produced the other moment of brilliance, finding space behind the defensive line and the speed to regather his kick, fooling Farah in the process. The man who is one of the most elusive in the game fed Willie Tonga to keep the Cowboys in the contest. He led the way regularly for the hosts in the absence of injured playmaker Johnathan Thurston, as well as recent Queensland Origin prop Matthew Scott who they lost earlier in the day to a back twinge.

The Tigers' kicking game also proved a difference. They had the luxury of using a variety of boots - Robert Lui, Marshall or Farah. Each of them kept the Cowboys inside their own 20m line for substantial periods of the first half. That territory and a wealth of possession which saw the Cowboys make more than 40 extra tackles in the first half proved decisive slogging it out in a wet test of endurance.

North Queensland struggled with the lack of leadership in the form of co-captains Thurston and Scott. Senior players Bowen, Aaron Payne and Brent Tate - notably in his return to first grade league after eight months on the sideline recovering from his third knee reconstruction - had to step up and it was not until late in the first half they seized any initiative.

They were helped by some high risk-low percentage play in first set of tackles by the Tigers after halftime. They ran on the fifth tackle which backfired and Tonga seized an intercept try in the 42nd minute.

The Cowboys could not conjure up the momentum they have lived off for much of this season despite some spectacular Bowen injections.

Likewise Tariq Sims returned from suspension to start in the second row but his regular forays sparked few livewire offloads.

Cowboys: 18 (C. Paterson 2, W. Tonga 2 tries, M. Bowen goal)

Tigers: 38 (G. Ellis, B. Ayshford 2, B. Marshall, T. Moltzen, L.Fulton tries, Marshall 7 goals)

Halftime: Tigers 12-4.