No Thurston, No worries for Cowboys

No Thurston? No worries for the North Queensland Cowboys, who embarrassed the Newcastle Knights 22-12 at Austgrid Stadium tonight.

Few gave the fifth-placed visitors any hope against their red-hot hosts without Johnathon Thurston, who will miss at least four weeks after injuring a knee in Origin III last week.

However, they held the Knights – who were aiming for their fourth straight win - to a 6-6 deadlock at halftime and ran in three tries to one in the second stanza to record an emotional victory.

No one was more passionate than ex-Knight Corey Paterson, who capped his Cowboys debut with the match-sealing try in the 72^nd minute.

The second-rower was cut adrift midseason after it became clear incoming Knights coach Wayne Bennett was not interested in his services next season.

Paterson was forced to find a new club and the resurgent Cowboys, who remain in fourth place (26 points), came calling.

Cowboys skipper Mathew Bowen called on his team to continue producing without their Kangaroos and Queensland halfback.

“We spoke about it all week, Johno (Thurston) has gone missing and guys need to step up,” Bowen said.

“We have got to get past it, we have got five or six weeks while Johno’s out and it’s a time for guys to take their chance.”

A boilover looked likely when Joel Riethmuller touched down for 12-6 in the 52^nd minute after a dominant start to the second period.

Newcastle – who had looked sluggish to that point – tied the score at 12-12 when Kurt Gidley scored his second try in the 58^th minute, only for the Blues utility to leave the field with a suspected hamstring injury.

Fellow Blue Akuila Uate knocked on over the line four minutes later before the Cowboys reclaimed a two-point advantage through a Bowen penalty goal in the 66^th minute.

At this point a player of Dally M frontrunner Thurston’s class would have been the deciding factor for either team, but it was an unlucky bounce against Knights fullback Wes Naiqama that turned the match in the 69^th minute.

The Fijian was trying to field a kick from Mathew Bowen but the ball eluded him – Paterson won the race and fed James Segeyaro to increase the Cowboys lead to 18-12.

Bowen was told to fill Thurston’s shoes as playmaker and he came to the party in the fifth minute when Will Tupou gathered in his bomb for first blood.

Gidley hit back in the 13^th minute with a soft try off a scrum win after he effortlessly palmed off Michael Morgan to score.

Newcastle were lucky to receive the feed after Matt Hilder had the ball stripped 10m out from the tryline but nothing could explain the Cowboys’ soft defence.

Despite drawing first blood, North Queensland missed the Kangaroos’ half and struggled to get out of their own half throughout the first stanza.

Junior Sau nearly made them pay in the 22^nd minute, but Tupou and Bowen managed to hold him up over the tryline.

At the other end, Wes Naiqama produced a fantastic bit of balance to avoid conceding a line drop-out after he fumbled a Bowen kick – with the ball about to go dead, the Fijian threw it in the air, overbalanced behind the dead ball line before recovering in time to get back into play.

Mullen spoilt Naiqama’s good work by putting the next kick out on the full.

The error went unpunished, but Bowen produced a 40-20 in the 33^rd minute which had the visitors in promising position, but ended with a Tonga knock-on with the line begging.

Chris Houston did the same for the Knights four minutes later to cap a half of missed chances by both sides.

The Cowboys made less errors (seven) than their hosts (eight), but made 142 tackles to Newcastle’s 177. North Queensland missed 22 tackles to the Knights’ 11.

More pain for NSW next year, says departing conqueror

Retiring Queensland skipper Darren Lockyer predicted more pain for NSW when player of the series Cameron Smith takes over at the helm of Origin’s most dominant dynasty next year.

Lockyer signed off after a record 36 interstate clashes – and a record sixth straight series win – when Queensland won last night’s decider 34-22 at Suncorp Stadium.

However, the legendary pivot believes the Maroons will extend their reign to a seventh year under Smith – who won the man of the match award in both Queensland victories this year, plus the Wally Lewis Medal as man of the series.

Lockyer also dubbed Smith’s Melbourne team-mate Cooper Cronk as the man to fill his legendary boots, with Johnathan Thurston moving to No 6 and the Storm superstar to his customary No 7 jersey after playing as a utility this year.

“They will still have the team to win, having Cameron as their leader will make them tough to beat,” Lockyer said.

“Cooper Cronk has been chomping at the bit to be a 80-minute player at this level and I think he’ll do a good job.”

Coach Mal Meninga paid tribute to his captain but stopped short of rating him above Lewis or former Queensland halfback Allan Langer in the Origin pantheon.

“(Lockyer’s) at the top, there’s no doubt, the thing is how he goes about his business, the way he’s so humble about his achievements is a real mark of a man,” Meninga said.

“I’m lucky he’s been the leader of this footy team.

“The team did the job and sent him out a winner, the way he deserved to be.

“Wally (Lewis) was fantastic, Alfie (Langer) was great, so is Darren.”

Meninga declared Queensland’s overwhelming opening 35 minutes where the most anticipated Origin in history were won and lost.

Queensland led 24-0 before NSW got on the board with two tries late in the first half.

“We controlled everything in the opening 30 minutes, it was a dream,” Meninga said.

“You’ve got to execute well, we have the players to do that, it’s a testament to the Queensland jersey.”

Thurston will go for scans on an injured knee today after he was taken from the field in a medicab in the 59^th minute after an accidental collision with team-mate Ashleigh Harrison while tackling Anthony Watmough.

Meninga – who now shares the record for Origin series wins with Phil Gould – predicted the Kangaroos half could be back before the end of the season.

“Our medical staff say it’s a grade two medial (ligament) and if that’s the case, it’s a four-to-eight-week injury,” Meninga said.

“Obviously he’ll go for scans and find out.”

Lockyer out a winner thanks to record-breaking Maroons

State of Origin’s most dominant dynasty ever produced its most perfect performance to send skipper Darren Lockyer out a winner in history’s most-anticipated interstate contest.

Queensland sealed their sixth straight series victory 34-22 in the decider at Suncorp Stadium tonight, which doubled as their captain’s interstate farewell after 36 appearances in maroon.

Except for three minutes to close the first half when NSW scored twice, the hosts were never threatened in front of a parochial, ground-record-equalling crowd of 52,498.

The Maroons raced to an unassailable 24-0 lead after 33 minutes thanks to an unheard advantage in possession (they made 66 tackles to NSW’s 157 and had a staggering 81%-19% edge in territory).

Queensland’s big guns fired, with Greg Inglis, Sam Thaiday, man of the series Cameron Smith, and Jharal Yow Yeh benefitting from classy lead-up work by Johnathan Thurston and Billy Slater in an irresistible opening half hour.

Lockyer, who is destined to become Australia’s most capped player at every level (club, interstate and international), declared the red-hot start was the key to Queensland’s decisive and devastating triumph.

“We started fantastic, to their (NSW) credit they fought back,” Lockyer said.

“It’s a fantastic way to finish, I have never been so nervous, it’s such a great feeling of relief.

“It has been a great journey, all of the Queenslanders out there, it’s been a pleasure.”

Thaiday – who is yet to confirm if he’ll add to his 30 Origins next year – proclaimed the triumph the zenith of Queensland’s all-conquering dynasty.

“This win is such a big one, Lockyer’s last game, all the adversity we’ve faced, I’m so proud we have done it,” he said.

“We spoke about starting really well, that’s where we won the game.”

After Queensland took control with four tries inside 35 minutes, NSW hit back through Minichiello (36^th minute) and Akila Uate (seven seconds before half-time) for a 24-10 deficit at half-time.

The first 15 minutes of the second stanza were dominated by NSW’s sub-par kicking game, which dashed chances to eat into the margin, or build pressure similar to what Queensland levelled on the visitors in the first period.

Thurston went down with a serious knee injury in the 56^th minute; the Cowboys half was cleaned up by team-mate Ashley Harrison as the duo combined to make a tackle.

The Dally M favourite had to take a medicab from the field and was in a wheelchair when the post-game celebrations started. His season is feared to be over.

Lockyer, who had been outshined by his teammates to this point, had a leading hand in arguably Queensland’s try of the series in the 65^th minute; the pivot found Thaiday, who produced a miraculous touch-pass back inside to Slater, who crossed for 28-10.

After Smith’s conversion, Queensland where in again through Inglis, who barged over after a penalty against NSW lock Greg Bird for taking out Lockyer after a kick. Smith added the extras for 34-10, and a record-breaking scoreline looked on the cards.

However, NSW added some respectability to the margin though an eight-point try to Jarryd Hayne after Smith was placed on report for attacking him after he scored and a late try to Bird.

NSW captain Paul Gallen admitted his team came up short in the decisive encounter.

“It’s pretty shattering, we came here pretty confident, we thought we had a chance, but we had to do too much defence in the first half,” he said.

While Queensland were per program, NSW made some late changes, with Hayne moving to centre and Brett Morris onto the wing after Penrith speedster Michael Jennings was ruled out. Glen Stewart came into the starting side in place of injured second rower Beau Scott while Keith Galloway made his debut off the bench.

Paranoid Canetoads in a spin about Stuart's squad

The pressure of maintaining a half-decade of Origin dominance is starting to show north of the border, with Queensland Rugby League managing director Ross Livermore lashing out at NSW’s extended squad for Wednesday’s decider.

After the furore over Jonathon Thurston being cited for colliding with a referee and the uproar over Dave Taylor’s five-match suspension for a spear tackle, Livermore’s outburst is another sign the Canetoads are struggling to come to terms with the looming end of the dynasty.

NSW took 19 men into enemy territory yesterday and the latest reports out of their bunker indicate coach Ricky Stuart won’t announce his 17-man side until only 30 minutes before Wednesday’s decider - which has been hailed the biggest Origin in history.

Livermore – already nervous after the five-time champions allowed NSW back into the series in Origin II – declared Stuart’s actions contrary to the spirit of the game.

"That's not what the spirit of this game is about," he said.

"They'd be fining the bloody clubs wouldn't they if they started this caper. Ricky must be pulling the strings.

"You're supposed to name your top 17 and then have your reserves. And you've got to have every intention of playing your top 17."

This from the state that brought us the ‘TBA’ fiasco in 2001 – Lote Tuqiri served a suspension in a club game and was then picked in a vacant backline spot for Origin.

Livermore contacted NSW supremo Geoff Carr to find out why the Blues final 17 remained a mystery and said it would be unsatisfactory if Stuart was holding back for a reason other than injuries.

St George Illawarra prop Trent Merrin was dropped from the squad on Saturday, meaning Wests Tigers counterpart Keith Galloway is likely to make his interstate debut at Suncorp Stadium at the expense of Manly second rower Glen Stewart.

Stuart's other big decision is on the left edge - Penrith's Michael Jennings is slated for centre and Parramatta's Jarryd Hayne for the wing berth.

However, if Jennings can't overcome the ankle injury that kept him out of Origin II, Dragons winger Brett Morris will come into the 17, forcing Hayne to centre.

Fortunately for NSW their other injury concerns - pivot Jamie Soward (hamstring), utility Kurt Gidley (hamstring) and second rowers Ben Creagh (ankle) and Beau Scott (medial ligament) will be right for the decider.

Likely NSW Team: Anthony Minichiello, Jarryd Hayne, Michael Jennings, Mark Gasnier, Akuila Uate, Jamie Soward, Mitchell Pearce, Paul Gallen, Michael Ennis, Tim Mannah, Beau Scott, Ben Creagh, Greg Bird. Interchange: Keith Galloway, Anthony Watmough, Luke Lewis and Kurt Gidley.

NRL Newcastle 14, Saints 10

Newcastle defeated defending premiers St George Illawarra in the latest advertisement for stand-alone Origin matches earlier today.

The plucky Knights prevailed 14-10 at WIN Stadium despite finishing with only one fit reserve after hooker Isaac De Gois (knee), tryscorer Keith Lulia (concussion) and Dan Tolar (head gash) were all forced from the field.

Newcastle (sixth, 20 points), have recorded a hat-trick of wins for the first time this year while the Dragons (third, 25 points) recorded their third loss since the beginning of the representative season.

The hosts missed their Origin contingent – Mark Gasnier, Jamie Soward, Ben Creagh, Brett Morris, Beau Scott and Queenslander Darius Boyd – plus injured talisman Matt Cooper, in an outing plagued by ill-discipline and mistakes.

In short, the Dragons, minus their stars, were a shadow of the team that humbled Manly at the same venue less than a week earlier. 

Stand-in pivot Nathan Fien set the tone when he knocked on the kick-off, handing Newcastle a scrum just 10m from the tryline in the opening minute.

Newcastle, who were without Origin stars Kurt Gidley and Akila Uate, blew the early chance when rookie five-eighth Tyrone Roberts kicked from the scrum straight to Dragons winger Reece Simmonds.

Early on it looked as though the Dragons would rely on the same suffocating defence that sunk Manly six days earlier, as Newcastle came away empty-handed after three sets inside the opposition 20m in the first six minutes.

Two minutes later Peter Mata’utia knocked on with the tryline in sight thanks to fearsome attention from Dragons’ centre Alex McKinnon.

Although the spirit was willing, the Dragons were missing the flair needed to make a mark on the scoreboard.

Fien found touch with both his boot and hands, skipper Ben Hornby found a rampaging Michael Weyman with a forward pass and Adam Cuthbertson grubbered dead – all from promising positions - to cap an impotent passage for the hosts.

Not surprisingly, the Dragons turned to a pet tactic – the simple penalty goal – to register first points after Matt Hilder went on report for a late hit on Fien in the 32^nd minute.

Five minutes later Simmonds scored his first try in the NRL since round 11, 2007 after a sweeping backline move that had the 18,000 red and white faithful at the ground hopeful their makeshift unit was starting to gel.

Halftime however helped the visitors – who were without Jarrod Mullen and Neville Costigan - more, as they started the second stanza the sharper of the two sides.

They finally levelled the scores when Leulia charged onto a bullet-like pass from Ryan Stig in the 56^nd minute.

Stig, who has risen to prominence in just three NRL games, handed the Knights a deserved lead six minutes later with a solo effort for 12-6.

The opportunity came after Dean Young knocked on near his own 20m line.

Newcastle’s advantage stretched to 14-6 in the 67^th minute after Was Naiqama potted a penalty goal after dropped Origin rep Trent Merrin held on for far too long in a tackle.

Despite all their errors, the Dragons were still alive after Simmonds scored his second try in the 72^nd minute after great lead-up work from Kyle Stanley and Hornby.

The Dragons skipper did his side no favours by rushing and missing the from-the-sideline conversion attempt, leaving the score at 14-10.

Simmonds – back in the NRL after three years in park and suburban footy - nearly scored what would have been a most unexpected hat-trick two minutes later, but Naiqama was first to his hopeful grubber.

Matt Prior knocked on from the ensuing drop-out, all but killing off the Dragons chances.

The meeting was the first between future allies Wayne Bennet and Rick Stone since the former announced he would be leaving the Dragons to coach Newcastle in 2012. Stone has since been offered a spot as the master coach’s assistant.