It was a grand final for the ages between the Cowboys and Broncos on Sunday in a match that proved to be an arm wrestle right up to its exhilarating conclusion.
Brisbane had the edge for the majority of the game and as time ticked by they seemed certain of celebrating their seventh premiership win, as northerner’s everywhere grimly watch on; but that was before the 80th minute unfolded.
Down 16-12 and with the door closing shut on the their dreams of claiming a maiden NRL premiership the Cowboys had one last shot to make magic happen; and boy did they ever!
On tackle six with time winding down Jonathan Thurston’s situation looked dire with Broncos players swarming on him from all angles. But just as all hope seemed lost one of the greatest moments in NRL history occurred. The skipper backpedaled towards his own end giving him space to get the ball off to a streaking Michael Morgan who slipped between two defenders before flicking off a one-handed pass to Kyle Feldt who sprinted home to lock up the score as time expired.
It was up to Thurston to convert the try and seal the victory but after what seemed like an eternity of lining up his shot at goal which had the 82,758 fans in attendance at ANZ stadium on the edge of their seats a cruel twist of fate saw the kick deflect of the uprights and out.
The expression of triumph on Thurston’s face as the kick appeared headed for success followed by the look of horror as it bounced off encapsulated the ecstasy and the agony that the club and its fans have endured for the last 19 years. As the game went into extra time, I have a hunch many Cowboys fans were thinking things weren’t going to end happily.
But the football gods in all there bi-polar glory shined their favourable light on the Cowboys once more as a booming kick-off by Feldt bore down on the usually reliable waiting hands of Ben Hunt who proceeded to spill the ball much to the horror of the sea of Broncos supporters watching on.
With possession of the ball in prime position it simply became a matter of navigating some desperate Brisbane defence before the ball fittingly arrived in the hands of Thurston who snapped off a perfect kick which netted the golden point, a 17-16 victory and the North Queensland Cowboys first premiership.
To be honest I still don’t think it’s fully sunk in that the Cowboys won. After so many agonisingly close shaves it was sometimes starting to feel like they’d never be able leap the final hurdle. But win they did, and now I know what cloud nine feels like.
