www.smh.com.au
TWO successive Saturday nights and two teams who may well have used Mt Smart Stadium as the funeral pyre for their finals hopes.
Last week, it was Cronulla who crashed and burned here.
This time, a painfully bad Cowboys tumbled to their 10th defeat in 12 games. Adding insult to embarrassment, Test back-rower Luke O'Donnell was sent off for following up a high shot on Lance Hohaia with a forearm to Hohaia's head.
In both games, the Warriors have played the part of a good supporting actor who knows his lines, does the job professionally and doesn't take centre stage. They left that to the Cowboys, whose performance was as much fun as a funeral, dropping simple ball, conceding stupid penalties and never constructing a threatening attack.
They won't talk about Billy Johnstone's training methods and issued a denial after rumours of sexual improprieties at the club, but there must be something rotten in the state of North Queensland.
The Warriors will stay ahead of Wests Tigers - in 13th on points differential - if the premiers lose to Canberra at Campbelltown today.
They have worked hard since the finals were no longer a possibility and overcame a major reshuffle after the team was named, losing Wairangi Koopu, Tony Martin and Nathan Fien, which gave a nowadays-rare outing to Hohaia in the unfamiliar role of centre.
Just after half-time, the score went out to an insurmountable 18-0 and the game
was drifting towards its inevitable conclusion when referee Gavin Badger - after a touch judge's report - dismissed O'Donnell.
GUS'S VERDICT
THE Cowboys went to NZ to be met with cold, wet conditions and a red-hot home team. Warriors coach Ivan Cleary has done a great job. He's kept them playing enthusiastically all season. Their for and against of +83 is the third best in the comp. They showed great variety and skill in attack while their defence was brutal. It's disappointing they won't see finals football and likewise, the Cows' season looks to be over.
TWO successive Saturday nights and two teams who may well have used Mt Smart Stadium as the funeral pyre for their finals hopes.
Last week, it was Cronulla who crashed and burned here.
This time, a painfully bad Cowboys tumbled to their 10th defeat in 12 games. Adding insult to embarrassment, Test back-rower Luke O'Donnell was sent off for following up a high shot on Lance Hohaia with a forearm to Hohaia's head.
In both games, the Warriors have played the part of a good supporting actor who knows his lines, does the job professionally and doesn't take centre stage. They left that to the Cowboys, whose performance was as much fun as a funeral, dropping simple ball, conceding stupid penalties and never constructing a threatening attack.
They won't talk about Billy Johnstone's training methods and issued a denial after rumours of sexual improprieties at the club, but there must be something rotten in the state of North Queensland.
The Warriors will stay ahead of Wests Tigers - in 13th on points differential - if the premiers lose to Canberra at Campbelltown today.
They have worked hard since the finals were no longer a possibility and overcame a major reshuffle after the team was named, losing Wairangi Koopu, Tony Martin and Nathan Fien, which gave a nowadays-rare outing to Hohaia in the unfamiliar role of centre.
Just after half-time, the score went out to an insurmountable 18-0 and the game
was drifting towards its inevitable conclusion when referee Gavin Badger - after a touch judge's report - dismissed O'Donnell.
GUS'S VERDICT
THE Cowboys went to NZ to be met with cold, wet conditions and a red-hot home team. Warriors coach Ivan Cleary has done a great job. He's kept them playing enthusiastically all season. Their for and against of +83 is the third best in the comp. They showed great variety and skill in attack while their defence was brutal. It's disappointing they won't see finals football and likewise, the Cows' season looks to be over.
