North Queensland have punched their ticket to the NRL finals after overcoming the Wests Tigers 24-10 at Queensland Country Bank Stadium.
After Canterbury lost to Penrith on Friday night, the Cowboys knew a win on Saturday would be enough to lock in a top-eight spot for the second time in three years.
Despite being buoyed by the return of superstar halfback Tom Dearden (leg), North Queensland lacked sharpness, making a sea of errors as they went into halftime trailing 10-8.
Second-rower Heilum Luki scored a settling try for the home team in the 53rd minute, and the Cowboys crossed twice more to seal the win.
Victory took North Queensland four points clear of ninth-placed Manly with one round remaining.
In his second game since round 10, Dearden had two try assists as he began to re-establish his combinations, and Luki was prolific with 143 metres, a line-break and a four-pointer.
For the Tigers, Benji Marshall was looking to recreate some 2005 grand final magic from the coaching box, and his five-eighth Jarome Luai produced a first-half masterclass (two try assists) to give his side hope of a second consecutive shock victory.
But Marshall will have to worry about Luai, who limped off the field in the second half in his penultimate match with the joint venture.
The coach may also have to question a second-half decision after the bunker chalked off prop Terrell May's try because fullback Scott Drinkwater was impeded, despite standing metres away from the ball.
The Cowboys drew first blood when centre Tom Chester stormed over, but Wests hit back when winger Jeral Skelton pounced on a Luai grubber.
Luai had his length-of-the-field try chalked off because of an illegal rake in the lead-up, but minutes later the five-eighth threw a lofting ball to set up winger Junior Tupou.
Luki crashed over in the 53rd minute, before a kick by Drinkwater rattled off the goalposts and into the hands of centre Jaxon Purdue.
Chester crossed for his second in the 78th minute to ice the victory and help the Cowboys win their first match in Townsville since a historic 70-point thumping by the Sydney Roosters last month.
