The Newcastle Knights have put an end to the North Queensland Cowboys' finals prospects with an inspiring 32-26 come-from-behind victory at EnergyAustralia Stadium on Saturday night.
With skipper Johnathan Thurston running amok early, the Cowboys went into half-time on track for a season-saving victory at 22-8 in front.
But injuries to star full-back Matt Bowen and former Queensland Origin prop Antonio Kaufusi early in the second-half certainly didn't help the visitors' cause as the resurgent Knights - inspired by half-back Jarrod Mullen and hooker Isaac De Gois - went on to post four unanswered tries in a 22 minute period to take the points.
The result effectively ends the Cowboys' season, while the Knights - fresh from their impressive win over the Storm on Monday night - have momentarily jumped to fifth position on the ladder with matches against the Raiders (away) and Panthers (home) remaining.
The match was barely two minutes old when the Knights drew first blood, centre Adam MacDougall claiming the scraps from a Mullen cross-field kick.
Thurston opened his side's account with probably the easiest try he will ever score.
The Cowboys received a penalty just a couple of metres short of the Knights' try-line, but instead of finding touch with the standard kick, Thurston took full advantage of the unsuspecting Newcastle defence by taking a quick penalty tap to simply place the ball over the line untouched.
The Knights responded with a 12th minute penalty goal, but Thurston was over again in the 24th minute when he backed up some neat work from halves partner Grant Rovelli to claim his 50th career try under the posts.
The Australian half-back piloted the simple conversion over to give the hosts a 10-8 lead.
Cowboys' hooker Anthony Watts obviously took in Jarryd Hayne's Friday night's exploits, producing his own piece of individual brilliance in the 27th minute.
The pacey No. 9 shot out of dummy-half then re-gathered his own chip kick to score a stunning 60m solo try, pushing his side out to a 16-8 lead after 28 minutes.
Thurston's first half masterclass continued five minutes before the break, poking a grubber in behind the fast-moving Knights' defence for centre Willie Tonga chase through for the Cowboys' fourth try and the 22-8 lead they would take to the break.
MacDougall crossed for his second-four-pointer of the night six minutes after the resumption, sparking the Knights' revival.
Just four minutes later a deft Mullen grubber was successfully chased down by forward Chris Houston for the Knights to trail by just two points.
The revitalised Knights hit the front just after the hour when a courageous kick-return out of the in-goal area by skipper Kurt Gidley was quickly followed by an 80m Mullen right-edge solo try on the very next play.
Gidley's conversion gave the hosts a 26-22 lead.
Replacement back Wes Naiqama sealed the Knights' win with a 68th minute try after some great lead-up from the dangerous De Gois and Mullen.
Cowboys winger Michael Bani scored with a couple of minutes remaining, then virtually right on full-time, MacDougall was placed on report for a rather innocuous high shot on Cowboys' interchange player Travis Burns.
Newcastle Knights 32
Tries: MacDougall 2, Houston, Mullen, Naiqama
Conversions: Gidley 5
Penalty goals: Gidley
North QLD Cowboys 26
Tries: Thurston 2, Watts, Tonga, Bani
Conversions: Thurston 3