A PACT to no longer be bullied has powered North Queensland towards the NRL’s top four.

The Cowboys scored a record 28-8 victory over a fired-up Gold Coast Titans side on Saturday night in Townsville.

While long-haired prop Ashton Sims is nicknamed ‘Thor’, it was Jason Taumalolo who dropped the hammer on the Titans.

Taumalolo busted nine tackles and ran for 167 metres in his best performance this season.

The 20 point, five try, win bettered the Cowboys’ previous best effort against the Titans which was a 16-point win in 2009.

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The loss meant the Gold Coast’s finals hopes are dead, the fourth consecutive year they have failed to make the finals.

It’s a different story for the Cowboys who moved a step closer to securing themselves a finals berth.

With Matt Scott and Gavin Cooper successfully returning from injury and Johnathan Thurston and Taumalolo in peak form, the Cowboys deserve to be rated premiership contenders.

They moved to sixth on the ladder last night but could be placed as high as third next week.

Their transformation in the past month has been exceptional.

In early July they were 13th on the ladder after losing their eighth consecutive away game.

They have now won three straight since a loss to St George Illawarra.

Their high for-and-against and favourable run home provides a great opportunity to overtake the Canterbury Bulldogs and Sydney Roosters for fourth spot.

Currently on 24 competition points, the Cowboys can rocket up the ladder with three home games in their final five matches.

Coach Paul Green revealed their turn-around was in part due to an honest discussion following their round 15 loss to Newcastle.

Thurston was relentlessly targeted by Knights’ enforcer Beau Scott that night and it prompted a pact to ensure they are not bullied again.

The Cowboys certainly weren’t bullied on Saturday night.

The contest reached boiling point in the second half when aggressive Titans forward Paul Carter tackled Ashton Sims off the ball prompting both players to cock their fists.

Titans captain Nate Myles then told Sims, “Should have used your hammer Thor”.

The Cowboys are sure to take his advice as they attempt to nail a final four position.

“I go back to our Newcastle game and I felt on that night we got a little bit bullied,” Green said.

“It was something we spoke about. I said we have to look after each other, not just JT, but anyone.

“I think we have done that since that game.”

Green said the Cowboys were not paying attention to the NRL ladder.

“There are people at the NRL who look after the ladder,” Green said.

“It is just about winning as many games as we can.”

Scott was excellent in his return from a seven-week absence due to a facial fracture while Gavin Cooper scored a try in his first appearance since round 10 due to a hip injury.

Thurston continued his rich form, scoring a try and setting up four.

NORTH QUEENSLAND 28 (G Cooper K Linnett T Moga M Morgan J Thurston tries J Thurston 4 goals) bt GOLD COAST 8 (B Takairangi try K Gordon 2 goals) at 1300 SMILES Stadium. Referee: Gavin Badger, Jared Maxwell. Crowd: 14,487