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Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n AAA<\/p>\n Brisbane: North Queensland had two players sent to the sin-bin, including a controversial professional foul ruling against Reuben Cotter, but showed tremendous fight to spring a good old-fashioned Magic Round upset against the Sydney Roosters.<\/p>\n The Cowboys triumphed 18-12, but they had to do it the hard way, especially when Cotter was binned in the 55th minute for pinning Sam Walker against the upright after he had kicked the ball.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t reckon [it was a sin-bin], play it at real speed, I don\u2019t reckon I should have been sent off; a penalty, maybe, but definitely not the sin-bin,\u201d Cotter told Fox Sports after the game.<\/p>\n \u201cThe boys got on with the job, and that was the most pleasing thing to see.\u201d<\/p>\n The decision left commentators stumped, and the constant replays in slow motion made the tackle look much worse.<\/p>\n \u201cThey arrive at the same time [at the ball],\u201d Greg Alexander said on Fox Sports. \u201c[The sin-bin] was a step too far. The game isn\u2019t played in super slo-mo.\u201d<\/p>\n The Roosters wasted little time after the sin-binning with half Sam Walker throwing a lovely ball for Hugo Savala to score a minute later to get the Bondi club back to within six points.<\/p>\n But the Cowboys dug deep for a well-deserved win to make it seven victories from their last nine matches.<\/p>\n Cowboys coach Todd Payten, who remains off contract despite his club\u2019s strong start to the season, said he was proud of his team\u2019s effort.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s as good a win as I\u2019ve had as head coach at this club in six years,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Payten said the match officials should not be viewing the footage in slow motion, when asked about the Cotter sin-binning.<\/p>\n \u201cI think if you slow it down like they do, it\u2019s very hard to come up with the right call,\u201d he said. \u201cI just ask them [officials] to watch it at normal speed. If you slow it down like you did, you\u2019ll find something wrong with it.\u201d<\/p>\n The Roosters were chasing a seventh straight win, and looked on their way when winger Cody Ramsey scored the first try, then Cowboy Matt Lodge was binned for a high shot on Lindsay Collins.<\/p>\n But the Roosters were off the pace, and not helped by the loss of winger Daniel Tupou in the opening minutes. Replacement winger Junior Pauga was hooked after a string of errors, including being trapped in-goal when he hoped a Cowboys kick would sail over the dead-ball line.<\/p>\n He was injected back into the action when Ramsey came from the field for a head injury assessment.<\/p>\n There was a lot of Origin hype around the Roosters leading into the clash, and a few of the leading contenders did not have their best nights.<\/p>\n NSW fullback hopeful James Tedesco had a few forgettable moments in the first half, while he put too much weight on a kick in the second half when his side was on the attack. Former Queensland captain Daly Cherry-Evans was fair without being great, while Maroons hopeful Walker improved the longer the game went, but was still down on his usual livewire self.<\/p>\n Cowboys half Jake Clifford who had also been talked about as a Maroons bolter outplayed his rivals.<\/p>\n The Roosters are genuine title contenders, but are guilty of clocking off in games, and producing mediocre performances like the one they dished up at Suncorp Stadium.<\/p>\n Tedesco did well to lodge a successful captain\u2019s challenge when he spotted Walker tackled without the ball as he tried to regather one of his own kicks right on half-time.<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/6d1f2effb9490655377514b4e9c5b8e1bc9e8ff8a143777a0bf21c341b3aaf87.gif\")
The controversial tackle that led to Reuben Cotter being sin-binned.
\nFox Sports<\/p>\n![\"Cowboy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/381c46ba35e4ff1786885d3a477f62515e1d4ac2.jpeg\")
Cowboy Reuben Cotter was not happy after being sin-binned in their clash with the Roosters at Suncorp Stadium. Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Roosters](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/9add3d4661fb08575a5c818857bca69d0e9824a1.jpeg\")
Roosters fullback James Tedesco did not have a happy night against the Cowboys.Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Nowhere](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/45d75b339def28687b935ade403621f6415a25a5.jpeg\")
Nowhere to go for Rooster Daly Cherry-Evans against the Cowboys.Getty Images<\/p>\n
![\"Nathan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/7e3735d682112b6fecfebca6825956e9ee86a55c.jpeg\")
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