Round 24
Cowboys 12 l. Knights 19

2006 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: Aus_NZ > National > First Grade Competition: NRL Telstra Premiership

Knights put Cowboys season to the Sword
Sat August 19, 2006
Newcastle have ended the Cowboys miserable season with a 19-12 win up in Townsville this evening. The win propels the Knights into the top four - at least for tonight - on for and against.

The Knights having not won without Andrew Johns in two years managed to overcome that hurdle by grinding out a tough victory.

The first half was a dire affair with the Cowboys opening the scoring in the 17th minute through Neil Sweeney.

Anthony Quinn put the Knights on the board with a try six minutes out from halftime and then backed up with a second on the stroke of halftime which set the Cowboys on the back foot for the second half.

It was a lead the Cowboys struggled peg back and was extended when Jarrod Mullen burst through some poor defence to send the Knights 18-6 ahead.

When it looked all over Justin Smith managed to grab a converted try and set the stage for a nail biting ending.

The Cowboys were finally put to the sword through a 78th minute field goal to Jarrod Mullen.

The Cowboys started the season with six straight wins which included a 40-8 demolition of the Melbourne Stom.

But have lost 3 of 16 since that time and have since become the worse attacking side in the competition in both points and line breaks.

Tonight's loss ends a season of misery with no real reason behind the Cowboys inexplicable form slump.

While they have suffered key injuries in recent times their form mid-season, particularly during the Origin series will be of concern to the club in coming years.

The Knights will take great confidence from winning without Andrew Johns, but they are still a long way from being any threat to the leading teams of the competition.

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