Last weekend the North Queensland Cowboys marked the 20-year anniversary of their first NRL grand final appearance, a night that ended in a gut-wrenching loss to the Wests Tigers.
This weekend the Townsville-based club will end its 2025 campaign with another major milestone—ten years since their first and only premiership win against ‘big brother’, the Brisbane Broncos, in 2015.
Widely considered one of the greatest NRL grand finals of all time, if not the greatest, it’s been a decade since Jonathan Thurston sealed a dramatic 17-16 comeback with a golden point field goal to break Broncos hearts.
The circumstances are very different this time around, of course, with the Cowboys’ finals hopes already extinguished.
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But have no doubt, bragging rights are still very much on the line.
At the end of a hugely disappointing campaign for Todd Payten’s men, the latest instalment of the original Queensland derby is the Cowboys’ 2025 ‘grand final’, especially as it will play out before a full house at Queensland Country Bank Stadium.
Of the 2015 NRL grand final playing rosters just two names remain—Cowboys veteran Jason Taumalolo and 35-year-old Broncos playmaker Ben Hunt who infamously fumbled the extra time kick off, an error that ultimately led to Thurston’s dramatic premiership winning field goal.
While the stakes are considerably lower, Saturday night’s game still remains critical to Michael Maguire and the finals-bound Broncos, who will no doubt be on high alert as they continue their late-season push for a top four NRL finish.
The Cowboys have the bye in Round 27 meaning they will begin their offseason at the conclusion of the match, win or lose.