It is Fulltime and the Storm remain undefeated with a 18-12 victory over the Cowboys in Townsville. Stayed tuned for the 3,2,1's and Match Report @LeagueUnlimited.
Penalty Cowboys - Against Marion Seve for taking Ben Hampton off the ball. Cowboys on the attack late!
Brodie Croft buries a kick into touch. Not very deep though and Cowboys have the scrum 30m from their own line.
Cameron Smith adds the extras. Storm lead 18-12.
Penalty Storm - Against Baptiste for the tackle on Munster. Cameron Smith will take the shot.
INJURY UPDATE - Nene Macdonald is being stretchered off the field with a suspected broken leg. It looks horrible on the replay.
Meanwhile Kurt Baptiste has tackled Cameron Munster in the air after kicking.
John Asiata and Nene Macdonald have collided attempting a bomb but the referees have played on. Both players are down and the Cowboys are blowing up in defence.
Jordan Kahu misses the conversion. Score remains Storm 16 Cowboys 12.
Michael Morgan hits Jordan Kahu close to the line and he throws one of the best no look flick passes you will see..maybe forward. Nevertheless Ben Hampton scores a fantastic try! Storm lead 16-12 kick from the sideline to come.
The Cowboys go the short kickoff and Gavin Cooper leaps high to retain possession.
Cameron Smith misses again. Score remains 16-8 to Melbourne.
VIDEO REF - TRY - Jahrome Hughes hits Josh Addo-Carr on the chest wide off a scrum play and Josh Addo-Carr just scrapes into the corner. Storm lead 16-8 kick to come.
John Asiata now loses the ball. They are their own worst enemy the Cowboys at the moment. Storm scrum 20m out.
Cameron Smith kicks across field on the last looking for Josh Addo-Carr but Nene Macdonald leaps high and is tackled 10m from the Cowboys line.
Nelson Asofa-Solomona tries to offload over the top and it is ruled a knock on. Cowboys scrum just short of halfway.
Cameron Smith misses the conversion. Score remains 12-8.
VIDEO REF - TRY - Jahrome Hughes breaks the line from dummy half on halfway and looks inside and kicks for Munster and Josh Addo-Carr. Addo-Carr gets it down for a superb try. Storm lead 12-8 kick to come.
Cameron Smith goes for a 40/20 and some how it bounces back into the field of play inches from touching the stripe! Cowboys ball 20m from their own line through Nene Macdonald.
Will Chambers loses the ball as Melbourne attack close to the line. Cowboys scrum 10m inside their own half.
Penalty Storm - Escort penalty against Jordan Kahu who takes Sandor Earl off the ball challenging a kick from Brodie Croft.
Jahrome Hughes grubbers behind the line and it is a Cowboys dropout.
Cameron Munster kicks early in the tackle count and Josh Addo-Carr is off and collects the ball 13m out. Storm on the attack!
Cameron Smith has done it! He has taken over the mantle of Bulldogs winger Hazem El Masri and is now the greatest pointscorer in NRL history! 8 all.
Penalty Storm - Cowboys offside....and here we go! Cameron Smith for the NRL Pointscoring record!
Cameron Munster hoists it high on the last and Te Maire Martin spills the ball. Storm scrum 15m out.
Michael Morgan again targets Sandor Earl with a kick, he can't get there but the ball goes into touch off a Cowboys hand. Storm ball 15m from their own line.
Tui Kamikamica now loses the ball 30m out. Cowboys in possession with Jordan McLean.
Penalty Storm - Jake Clifford puts up a monster bomb but Jahrome Hughes makes a meal of it and it bounces in goal. Josh Addo-Carr is there but the Cowboys are penalised for being offside.
We are back underway in the Second Half!
It is Halftime and the Cowboys lead 8-6 in a real arm wrestle of a match so far. Stay tuned for all the action in the second half coming up @League Unlimited.
Cameron Smith adds the extras to level with Hazem El Masri as the greatest pointscorer of all time. Cowboys lead 8-6.
Cameron Munster hit Will Chambers on the angle and he charges straight through the Cowboys defensive line to score under the posts! Cowboys lead 8-4 kick to come.
Gavin Cooper loses the ball now and Storm have the ball just inside the Cowboys half. Chance before halftime for Melbourne.
Jordan Kahu kicks the penalty to make it an 8 point lead. 8-0 Cowboys.
Penalty Cowboys - Against Felise Kaufusi for not getting back 10m. Michael Morgan points to the posts. Kick to come.
Michael Morgan kicks a 40/20 to give his side a big chance before halftime! Cowboys on the attack!
Jake Clifford knocks on under pressure. Big opportunity wasted by the home side.
Sandor Earl knocks on for the third time in the match. Great pressure from Ben Hampton and the Cowboys have a scrum 10m out.
Felise Kaufusi throws a forward pass to Marion Seve and the Cowboys have a scrum just short of halfway.
Storm on the attack and Felise Kaufusi knocks on. Cowboys again survive. North Queensland scrum 20m from their own line.
Jahrome Hughes now breaks the line and is tackled just over halfway after taking a great catch inside his own half on the first tackle.
Sandor Earl now knocks on off the dropout. Cowboys scrum 40m out from their own line.
Superb kick on the last tackle from Cameron Munster and Te Maire Martin is trapped in goal for yet another line dropout.
Dale Finucane knocks on and the Cowboys are off the hook!
Will Chambers grubbers towards the in goal and Jordan McLean knocks on. Scrum Storm 10m out.
Cameron Smith rolls the ball in goal on the last and Te Maire Martin is tackled in goal. Another drop out Cowboys.
Brodie Croft puts in a lovely kick behind the Cowboys defensive line on the last and Ben Hampton is tackled in goal. Dropout Cowboys.
Jordan Kahu converts the try from next to the posts. Cowboys lead 6-0.
VIDEO REF - TRY - Michael Morgan bombs across field for Gavin Cooper who bats the ball back. It then comes off Marion Seve and Te Maire Martin pounces on the ball and grounds it just short of the dead ball line! Try Cowboys and they lead 4-0.
Cameron Smith now knocks on from the scrum! Cowboys scrum 10m out! Comedy of errors early!
Te Maire Martin now loses the ball. Storm scrum 10m from their own line.
Penalty Cowboys - Against Kenneath Bromwich for not letting go of Michael Morgan on the held call. Cowboys take the tap!
Kenny Bromwich loses the ball and it is a Cowboys scrum on halfway.
Dale Finucane spills the ball now in a strong tackle and the Cowboys have the ball 20m inside their own half.
Penalty Storm - Against Jake Granville for an obstruction at dummy half, while the Cowboys are on the attack. Storm scrum 10m from their own line.
Sandor Earl makes his first hit up since his drug ban and knock on in the play the ball. Cowboys scrum 35m out.
We are underway in Townsville! Jesse Bromwich takes the first hit up and is tackled 10m from his own line.
Welcome to Townsville for our second match of Friday Night Football, where the North Queensland Cowboys host the Melbourne Storm. The Cowboys have had a slow start to 2019 with just the one win, meanwhile the Storm are undefeated and leading the competition after the first four rounds. North Queensland have some late changes, with Mitchell Dunn out, which sees John Asiata move to the second row and Coen Hess and Kurt Baptiste to start from the bench. Melbourne also have a late change, with Curtis Scott ruled out, which sees Marion Seve switch to centre and Sandor Earl makes his long awaited return to First Grade on the wing, after serving a four year drug ban. North Queensland are under pressure to perform, Melbourne always perform. This will be a re-match of the 2017 Grand Final, where the Storm prevailed 34-6. Can the Cowboys get their season back on track? Stay tuned for all the action @LeagueUnlimited!
Referees & scorers:
Referee: Grant Atkins, Gavin Badger
Touch Judges: Nick Beashel, Belinda Sleeman
Video Referee: Steve Chiddy, Ben Galea
NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS (12)
Tries: Te Maire Martin, Ben Hampton
Field Goals:
Conversions: Jordan Kahu (1/2)
Penalty Goals: Jordan Kahu (1/1)
MELBOURNE STORM (18)
Tries: Will Chambers, Josh Addo-Carr (2)
Field Goals:
Conversions: Cameron Smith (1/3)
Penalty Goals: Cameron Smith (2/2)