KEY POINTS:
The New Zealand Warriors fried in the Townsville heat as North Queensland and their wizard Johnathan Thurston ended their National Rugby League (NRL) season with a 49-12 thumping here today.
Inspired by Dally M player of the year Thurston and his willing sidekick Matt Bowen, the Cowboys sent
the Warriors tumbling out in the elimination semifinal at Dairy Farmers Stadium.
The Warriors competed for the first half-hour and were well in the game at 12-12, but two Cowboys tries either side of halftime knocked the stuffing out of the visitors before 21,847 fans.
Thurston laid on three of the Cowboys' eight tries and kicked seven goals from seven attempts as the hosts stormed home with 24 points in the final quarter.
Errors and poor completion rates cost the Warriors late in the first half then a mountain of defence and the temperatures nudging 30degC saw them out on their feet at the 50-minute mark.
The Cowboys now face Manly in next Saturday's preliminary final in Sydney while the Warriors return to Auckland to contemplate 2008 as their five-year winning drought in Townsville continued.
The hosts were without five frontline forwards after prop Carl Webb (calf injury) was ruled out just before kickoff, but they still led 18-12 after a frantic, seesawing first half.
Warriors workhorse forward Micheal Luck reeled away from just the second tackle of the match with blood flowing from a head gash. He later returned with headgear and several stitches.
The Warriors nailed their chances in the opening quarter and led 12-6 after 15 minutes with tries to Michael Crockett and Tony Martin.
The first was a well-worked set play with fullback Wade McKinnon doubling around twice to create a simple overlap while Martin busted some flimsy defence out wide for his try after a Steve Price offload.
Goalkicker Michael Witt, who took a 94 per cent success rate into the game, converted both from the sideline.
Thurston and Bowen set up their opening try to Mark Henry then drew level 12-12 when hooker Aaron Payne darted through to set up Ben Farrar.
Halfback Grant Rovelli made three try-saving tackles in the first half, one on Bowen and another when he lifted Cowboys giant Ray Cashmere who lost the ball.
The Warriors would have been satisfied with 12-12 at halftime but some Thurston magic and a poor call from referee Tony Archer saw the hosts strike a killer blow for a six-point halftime lead.
Thurston carved through from the next play the ball and floated a pass on the 10m line out wide to wing Ty Williams who caught the ball 2m in front of the line to score. Thurston converted from the right-hand touch.
The Cowboys stormed straight onto attack after the break as the Warriors tired, and the hosts pounced again thanks to another error.
Rovelli flung a pass which bounced along the ground, centre Ashley Graham pounced and raced 55m to score in Crockett's tackle.
Thurston's goal made it 24-12 with 30 minutes left and the Warriors were gasping.
Hooker Nathan Fien, who was preferred for long periods to the in-form George Gatis, lost the ball 2m out in a tackle in a rare excursion into Cowboys territory.
A Bowen field goal stretched the margin to 13 then Thurston and Bowen combined yet again for the little fullback to score and make it safe at 31-12 with 18 minutes left.
NZPA