MAROONS selectors will be sweating on the match review committee, after Felise Kaufusi was placed on report in the Storm’s 7-6 win over the Cowboys in Townsville.

Kaufusi was placed on report in the 62nd minute for a cannonball tackle and he pulled at the leg of Matt Scott as he got to his feet, just a fortnight after Cameron Smith was suspended for a similar motion when he injured Kevin Proctor with a wishbone tackle.

The Storm second-rower was a certainty to be selected in Kevin Walter’s team for Origin I, but his fate is now up in the air just days before the team is announced.

Storm coach Craig Bellamy admitted it was a silly tackle.

Round 20

“You see them all the time and when Cameron (Smith) got charged, it was because Kevvie (Proctor) got injured.

“It was undisciplined and he didn’t need to do that, but it certainly wasn’t an aggressive yank, it was just a mild pull on the leg.

“I don’t know whether they were having a bit of a joke because Kaufusi comes from up here, but it was really silly what he did, but I don’t think there was any malice in it.

“You’d be devesated if you missed an Origin for that.”

MATCH CENTRE: Cowboys v Storm

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The Cowboys season is now all but over after Cameron Munster produced a clutch field goal to ice the win in the 72nd minute.

Munster was the best player on the field, running for 96 metres from 10 runs with six tackle breaks, three offloads and a linebreak to go with the match sealing field goal.

“I thought he was the difference tonight,” Storm Bellamy said post match.

“He’s been practising field goals and I am really happy with the way he is going.

Thurston had a late chance to push the game into extra time, but his field goal sailed wide and the Storm held on for a gutsy win.

The Cowboys need to win all 12 of their remaining games to get to 30 points, which was their total last year when they scraped into the finals in eighth place.

However on the form they have shown this season it will be nothing short of a miracle if they can go undefeated for the rest of the year.

Rugby league royalty Johnathan Thurston and Cameron Smith faced off for possibly the last time, with Smith outplaying his good friend.

Smith continued his career dominance at club level over his long time Queensland and Australian teammate.

Smith and Thurston shared a bottle of wine over the phone when Smith retired from representative football, but Thurston might not be so accommodating after Smith ran over him for a first half try.

“Thurston’s defence has been average this year,” Fox League expert Braith Anasta said of the play.

“That is quite poor for a side that is desperate and for every game, the Cowboys future is on the line.

“To see that out of one of the best players to play the game on Cameron Smith, who we know runs out of dummyhalf is disappointing.

“He beat three players and he was half a metre out, so he never should have scored that try.”

From what they dished up tonight it is hard to believe these two teams met in last year’s grand final just eight months ago.

The first half in particular was highlighted by repeated errors and bad ball control.

“Scrappy is probably spot on and lacklustre,” Anasta said of the first half effort.

“It was an average half from both sides.

“The Cowboys we expect that because they are 15th and have struggled all year, but we expect more from Melbourne.”

Jahrome Hughes was impressive filling in for Billy Slater, finishing with 148 run metres from 13 runs, with four tackle breaks and a linebreak in a promising display.

“Jarhrome Hughes was the shining light of the first half,” Anasta said.

“He has been superb filling in for Billy Slater and he’s been the best player on the field by a country mile.

However Munster was the best player come full time and his field goal will be the exclamation point on his undeniable claims to a State of Origin berth.

Craig Bellamy will be disappointed with his team’s first half, but happy they stuck with it to record a much needed victory.

For Cowboys coach Paul Green, he will be left to lament a second straight one point loss as their nightmare season continues.

The Report

Johnathan Thurston missed an opportunity to give the home side an early lead, when he missed a relatively straight forward penalty goal.

With his Origin selection being called into question in the build up to the game, Matt Scott answered his critics with barnstorming display in the opening exchanges.

Scott was a ball of energy, running full tilt in both attack and defence, culminating in a massive hit that forced a turnover for the Cowboys, much to the delight of his teammates.

Both sides struggled early with ball control, with the Cowboys completing only five of their first 10 sets, while the Storm were’nt much better completing five of eight in the opening quarter.

Cameron Smith looked rusty after coming back from suspension, with a number of stray passes failing to find their mark in the first half.

The Storm lacked composure in attack and were clearly missing Billy Slater, who was ruled out with hamstring tightness during the week.

In one play in the 30th minute Thurston and Smith showed their true brilliance.

Smith put in a fantastic grubber for his outside men, but the try was snuffed out by Thurston who read the play and defused the kick to save the Cowboys.

Cameron Smith would not be denied moments later though, when he barged over from close range to give the visitors the first try of the match and a 4-0 lead.

Ironically Smith beat three players including Thurston, who missed a fairly straightforward tackle to let Smith through.

However Kyle Feldt produced a booming kick off from the restart and the Storm let it bounce, allowing the Cowboys to force a goal line drop out.

But again they couldn’t convert pressure into points, turning the ball over and letting the Storm off the hook.

Sam Kasiano was placed on report for a late hit on Johnathan Thurston just before halftime giving the Cowboys one last sniff.

However some brilliant goal line defence allowed the Storm to hold onto a slender 4-0 lead at the break.

The Cowboys started the second half the stronger, but again were denied by some staunch defence from the Storm.

The visitors then marched the ball up the field on the back of a seven tackle set and Smith slotted a penalty goal to extend his side’s lead to 6-0.

Kyle Feldt got the home side back in the contest with a freakish leap for a try in the 54th minute.

Feldt outjumped Josh Addo-Carr, before spinning as he hit the ground and planting the ball in the corner, with inches to spare.

Thurston then produced one of his curling master kicks from the touchline, to lock up the scores at 6-6.

Munster kicked a field goal with eight minutes to play, to give the Storm a narrow 7-6 advantage.

Johnathan Thurston had the chance to send the game into golden point, but missed a field goal from in front and the Storm held on for a gutsy victory.

Storm 7 (Smith try; Smith 1 goal, Munster 1 field goal) def. Cowboys 6 (Feldt try; Thurston 1 goal)

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