FORMER Bulldog Reed Mahoney set up the match-winning try as North Queensland scored their sixth victory in seven games.
The hooker was let go by Canterbury last year and there were reports of a disagreement with his former team-mates in a Las Vegas nightclub at the start of the season.
Tonight, he made the tackle that won possession for the Cowboys and then put five-eighth Jake Clifford over for the clincher with five minutes left at Accor Stadium.
“I don’t think there was any (talk) within the group,” Cowboys coach Todd Payten said of Mahoney’s clash with a club he left in somewhat acrimonious circumstances.
“I spoke to him through the week about it. He was trying to play it down. He was just talking about getting his job done.
“It always means more and I thought he played really well. He snuck out 80 (minutes), had some big plays towards the end.”
Another ex-Bulldog, Braidon Burns, also got his share of the spoils in the final couple of minutes for a 28-12 win.
The bad news for the Cowboys was international Jeremiah Nanai suffering a recurrence of a shoulder injury.
“I’m really disappointed for him – he’s worked super-hard,” said Payten. “We’ll just see how it goes … but it’s not good.”
Canterbury coach Cameron Ciraldo said his team “needs to put the shovel” down – a reference to digging their own holes. They were beaten 32-12 by Brisbane last week and 38-20 by Parramatta the week before.
“Cleary the Cowboys tonight were clearly going to test the ref on that tryline area,” he said.
“They really tested the ruck control there and the line speed as well and were up in our faces, a number of six-agains. That doesn’t help you at times as well, that suffocates you.”
Mahoney’s opposite number, Jake Turpin, suffered a torn biceps muscle.
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NORTH QUEENSLAND 28 (Drinkwater 2 Cotter Clifford Burns tries Clifford 4 goals) beat CANTERBURY 12 (Galvin Curren tries Crichton 2 goals) at Accor Stadium.
Teams:
CANTERBURY: Connor Tracey; Jonathan Sua, Bronson Xerri, Stephen Crichton (c), Enari Tuala; Matt Burton, Lachlan Galvin; Samuel Hughes, Bailey Heyward, Leo Thompson, Jacob Preston, Josh Curran, Jaeman Salmon. Res: Sitili Topouniua, Kurt Mann, Jake Turpin, Alek Jones.
NQ: Scott Drinkwater; Braidon Burns, Jaxson Purdue, Tom Chester, Zac Laybutt; Jake Clifford, Tom Dearden (c); Coen Hess, Reed Mahoney, Jason Taumalolo, Heilum Luki, Jeremiah Nanai, Reuben Cotter. Res: Sam McIntyre, Tom Mikaele, Griffin Neame, Matt Lodge.
Referee: Peter Gough.
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