FORMER Bulldog Reed Mahoney set up the match-winning as North Queensland scored their sixth win in seven games.
The hooker was let go by Canterbury last year and there were reports of a disagreement 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.
Another ex-Bulldog, Braidon Burns, also got his share of the spoils in the final couple of minutes for a 28-12 win.
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.
