A pumped-up crowd at their spiritual home failed to inspire the Dragons to a breakthrough victory against a dangerous Cowboys outfit on a roll after back-to-back victories.
After a heartbreaking golden point loss to the Bulldogs in Las Vegas the Dragons have conceded 124 points in the past four games – but worse they didn’t bother the scoreboard attendant against the Cowboys.
The loss leaves the Dragons with the unwanted record of the worst start to a season in the history of St George Illawarra.
We head up to Queensland for our second match on Saturday with the Titans out to build momentum when they host the premiers, who will be keen to make Reece Walsh’s 100th NRL game a memorable occasion for the gun No.1.
The Broncos won both clashes between these sides in 2025 and look to be finding their mojo after a couple of early losses to the Panthers and Eels.
Follow all the action from Round 5 of the NRL Telstra Premiership on NRL.com’s live blog.
Titans v Broncos at Cbus Super Stadium
40 min: More injury drama for the Broncos after Walsh was forced to leave the field for a HIA after being trampled by Morrin while attempting a tackle on the Broncos tryline.
39 min: Walsh appeared to have scored a sensational second try after racing 90m down the touchline but he put a foot out.
36 min: Broncos prop Ben Talty was disallowed a try for a forward pass after Fotuaika was penalised in front of the posts for a high shot on Walsh.
34 min: PNG forward Cooper Bai has received the biggest cheer of the night so far after coming off the interchange for the Titans.
33 min: The momentum is turning with Jo Jo Fifita racing 70m to score after a heavy tackle from Tongan prop Mo Fotuaika knocked the ball loose from Mam. Campbell converted. Broncos 8 Titans 6
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Jojo Fifita Try
31 min: Kini made a long range break and passed inside to interchange forward Kurtin Morrin, who didn’t have the pace to go all the way to the tryline. Unfortunately, Kini knocked on at dummy half.
29 min: Walsh has put the Broncos further ahead with a penalty goal after an offside infringement against Hau. Broncos 8-0
Injury update: Adam Reynolds has left the field with a groin injury. Ben Hunt has taken over the halfback duties.
24 min: Kotoni Staggs stripped the ball from Kini chasing a Reynolds bomb but it hit the ground before the Broncos centre could ground it for a try.
20 min: The Titans have been denied another try after Deine Mariner put down a Jayden Campbell bomb and Beau Fermor picked up the loose ball to score. Replays showed that Tino Fa’asuamaleaui had knocked Mariner’s arms as he attempted to catch the ball but the Broncos were penalised for an escort by Walsh.
15 min: Ezra Mam has come up with a try scoring effort after preventing last weekend’s two-try hero Arama Hau from scoring for the Titans.
3 min: Kangaroos fullback Reece Walsh has started his 100th NRL match in style after racing through to outleap Titans opposite Keano Kini and snatch his own kick to score. Adam Reynolds converted. Broncos 6-0.
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Reece Walsh Try
Late Mail
Titans: Halfback Jayden Campbell will take his place in the side as named, while he waits for partner Teagan to give birth. She was due on Tuesday but the couple are still waiting for the arrival. Prop Moeaki Fotuaika is set to come off the bench for the second straight week as an impact player, with Josh Hannay sticking with the same 19 that got the job done against St George Illawarra. Centre Jojo Fifita has scored five tries in three games against the Broncos. No late changes.
Broncos: Star prop Payne Haas will make his return from a shoulder injury that forced him to sit out last week’s victory over the Dolphins. Teenaged-outside back Antonio Verhoeven is in the mix for an NRL debut after being named on the six-man bench as Michael Maguire is forced into a backline reshuffle. An injury to Grant Anderson has seen winger Jesse Arthars called up for his first game of the year, with Gehamat Shibasaki also handed a recall to the starting side in the centres. No changes either for the Broncos.
Stat Attack
The Titans are aiming for their third straight win at Cbus Super Stadium.
The Broncos have won three of their last four games at Cbus Super Stadium.
Titans centre Jojo Fifita has scored five tries in three games against the Broncos.
Broncos fullback Reece Walsh will make his 100th NRL appearance.
Titans forward Beau Fermor has scored a try in three of his last four games at Cbus Super Stadium.
Stats supplied by David Middleton, League Information Services, author of the official annual of the NRL.
Dragons v Cowboys at Jubilee Stadium
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Dragons v Cowboys – Round 5, 2026
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NRL Press Conference: Dragons v Cowboys – Round 5, 2026
Fulltime: The Cowboys have claimed a third consecutive win after a 32-0 shut out against the Dragons. In the process, Todd Payten’s men have inflicted the worst start to a season by the Dragons in the history of St George Illawarra, since 1999. The Dragons lead the NRL for post contact metres but their attacking options again let them down – earning the wrath of the Red V faithful, who booed them at halftime and fulltime. The Cowboys had too much speed out wide and their back five all ran for more 100m – Braidon Burns and Tom Chester each running over 200m. Halves Jake Clifford and Tom Dearden were at their creative best, while Jason Taumalolo continued his superb start to the season to lead a forward pack that matched the Dragons and enabled their backs to take advantage.
78 min: Clifford has been rewarded for a five-star effort with a late try. Clifford converts. Cowboys 32-0.
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Jake Clifford Try
76 min: Thomas Mikaele thought he had scored the first try of his 92-match NRL career but it was overturned by The Bunker, who ruled that he had caught the ball in an offside position after it touched Reed Mahoney.
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Mikaele’s 92 game wait continues: Bunker denies first NRL try
63 min: Samoan finisher Murray Taulagi has piled more misery on the Dragons after Dearden picked up a loose pass and shifted the ball through Purdue for the star winger to score untouched. Clifford missed the conversion. Cowboys 26-0
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Murray Taulagi Try
Injury update: Burns has been assisted from the field with an ankle injury.
52 min: Cowboys winger Braidon Burns has run 80m to score against the run of play and with his side down to 12 men after intercepting a King-Togia pass from a Dragons scrum win. A remarkable effort by prop Toby Couchman to chase Burns and force him to score out wide, but Clifford still managed to convert. Cowboys 22-0.
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Braidon Burns Try
45 min: Reuben Cotter has been sent to the sinbin for a professional foul after tackling Valentine Holmes as he attempted to run the ball to the 20m line for a re-start after fielding a Dearden kick on the full in the Dragons in-goal.
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Cotter sin binned
42 min: The Dragons have made a good start to the second half with lock Hamish Stewart leaping above Drinkwater for an Atkinson bomb but he couldn’t hold the ball.
Halftime summary: Dragons fans have booed their team at halftime after the Cowboys overcame a deficit in possession and field position to lead 16-0 and leave Shane Flanagan’s men facing the worst start to a season in St George Illawarra history. The Dragons have got themselves into attacking position on a number of occasions during the opening 40 minutes but have failed to capitalise. In contrast, Cowboys halves Tom Dearden and Jake Clifford have made the most of their opportunities to lay on three tries. Both teams have completed 18 of 20 sets. A huge 40 minutes coming up for both teams – the Dragons trying to stave off their fifth consecutive defeat and the Cowboys aiming for three wins in a row.
40 min: Purdue has his second try after racing through to latch on to a Clifford grubber kick. Clifford converted. Cowboys 16-0.
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Jaxon Purdue 2nd Try
38 min: Dragons debutant David Fale is on report for dangerous contact after kicking Cowboys opposite Murray Taulagi with his outstretched leg while leaping to field a kick.
33 min: Gutherson has produced another try saving effort after batting a Dearden grubber over the dead ball line.
30 min: Jaxon Purdue scored a 60 metre try after Clifford put him into space and the star centre beat Gutherson with an in-and-away step. Clifford converted. Cowboys 10-0.
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Jaxon Purdue Try
28 min: The Dragons have blown another scoring opportunity when Atkinson grubbered with a two-man overlap and the ball was fielded by Drinkwater.
Injury update: The Cowboys have lost forward Sam McIntyre with an ankle injury. Kai O’Donnell is his replacement.
22 min: Cowboys secondrower Heilum Luki has crashed over the line after the Cowboys ran the ball on the last tackle but Gutherson and Leilua held him up.
20 min: An error by Luciano Leilua has been compounded by a penalty against secondrow partner Jaydn Su’A.
18 min: Daniel Atkinson split the defence and found Gutherson in support but Jake Clifford cut the fullback down short of the line. A perfectly weighted grubber by Lykhan King-Togia forced a goal-line drop-out.
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Clifford’s chase denies Gutherson
13 min: Scott Drinkwater has opened the scoring after the Cowboys shifted the ball wide and Dearden put the star fullback into space. Jake Clifford missed the conversion attempt. Cowboys 4-0
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Scott Drinkwater Try
12 min: Drinkwater has given the Cowboys field position with a 40/20 kick.
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Momentum shift as Drinkwater boots a 40/20
10 min: A forward pass from Damien Cook to Emre Guler has ended the Dragons first real attacking raid of the game.
8 min: Tongan great Jason Taumalolo has committed the first error for the Cowboys after losing the ball metres from the Dragons line as the visitors mounted sustained pressure following consecutive six again calls.
3 min: Clint Gutherson saves the day for the Dragons after Tom Dearden busted the Dragons defence and linked with Reed Mahoney.
Kick-off: Tom Dearden receives the ball and passes to Coen Hess for the first hit-up of the game.
Late Mail
Dragons: St George Illawarra stalwart Blake Lawrie will start at prop in a late switch with Toby Couchman, while boom halfback Kade Reed drops out of the final squad. Former Panther David Fale comes on to the wing and is set for his Dragons debut after scoring four tries in four games in NSW Cup. Lyhkan King-Togia will step into the No.6 jersey as Kyle Flanagan recovers from a concussion suffered in last week’s loss to the Titans. Moses Suli is on track to return in the centres, while Couchman is also back on deck after missing the Round 4 defeat due to concussion.
Cowboys: Centre Tom Chester is set to come straight back onto the starting side in his return from suspension, with Zac Laybutt moving to the interchange as a result. North Queensland are a settled side as they chase a seventh-straight win over the Dragons. Kai O’Donnell has joined the interchange, with Harrison Graham the player to drop out.
Stat Attack
The Dragons have lost their last eight NRL games.
The Cowboys have won their last six games against the Dragons.
The Dragons are aiming to avoid a 0-5 start for the first time in the joint venture’s history.
Cowboys halfback Tom Dearden has scored five tries in his last three games against the Dragons.
Dragons winger Christian Tuipulotu has scored five tries in his last five games at Jubilee Stadium.
Stats supplied by David Middleton, League Information Services, author of the official annual of the NRL.