Ryan Papenhuyzen was an early casualty as North Queensland's scrappy defeat of a patchwork Melbourne went closer to locking in a Townsville start to their NRL finals campaign. The Cowboys prevailed 38-30 in an 11-try affair at home on Thursday, victory in the penultimate regular-season round pushing them three points clear of seventh-placed Manly ahead of the Sea Eagles' clash with Canterbury on Friday. The Storm made 11 changes to the side that wrapped up the minor premiership last week but kept big guns Papenhuyzen and Cameron Munster in the line-up.

Papenhuyzen lasted just 14 minutes though, the injury-plagued fullback grabbing at his lower leg after returning a ball from the in-goal area. He didn't return but cut a relaxed figure on the sideline, coach Craig Bellamy hopeful scans reveal a lower leg cork as suspected by Storm medical staff.

Melbourne centre Marion Seve (ankle) also left the game early after his leg was caught in an unsuccessful attempt to stretch for a try.

Fresh off a bye, the Cowboys missed 27 tackles to the Storm's four in the first half and had slack defence to blame for most of the five tries conceded.

"We'll take them any way they come really, but a really scrappy game," Cowboys coach Todd Payten, who was especially critical of his side's defence, said. "They (the Storm) stripped it right back, did things simply and we were looking to finesse our way to a victory. In our review, in conversations, whether it's me or (players) ... it'll be spoken about and questions will be answered."

Two errors in as many minutes to begin the contest allowed Lazarus Vaalepu to barge over for his first NRL try. Kyle Feldt and Murray Taulagi responded with four-pointers for the hosts before Alec MacDonald kept his elbow off the turf to avoid a double movement and register another soft Melbourne try. Tyran Wishart then pulled the Cowboys' pants down from the scrum base, going himself to fool Jeremiah Nanai and score the Storm's third.

But Super League-bound Felt's second, and a third laser-like sideline conversion from Valentine Holmes, who kicked seven-of-seven, ensured the hosts went to the break with a lead despite completing just 12 first-half sets.

Holmes, in his 200th game, then scored himself after North Queensland opted to run at a disjointed defensive line on the last tackle to begin the second half. The Storm slotted a penalty goal then a short Cowboys drop-out backfired when forward Griffin Neame wasn't able to clean up a loose ball, Wishart the first to dive on the loose ball and then level the scores.

North Queensland hit straight back though, Reece Robson diving on a loose ball after Tom Dearden's offload on the tryline was knocked down. They then repelled a series of Melbourne attacks before Dean Ieremia's attempt to swipe a ball dead failed and Nanai scored the simplest of tries.

Ativalu Lisati scored a brilliant, late solo try on debut while Sualauvi Faalogo was electric at fullback after Papenhuyzen's exit.

Munster was critical of his in-game kicking that he thought led to two decisive Cowboys tries.

"I need to be a bit more clinical and better with my execution," he said. "I'm pretty devastated losing for those guys that played their first game."

The Cowboys' Scrappy Win

A double to favourite son Kyle Feldt helped the Cowboys to a 38-30 win over a gallant Storm outfit in Townsville on Thursday night. Going into the match without 11 regular starters and losing star fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen after 15 minutes, the Storm hung tough but were eventually outclassed by the playmaking skills of Tom Dearden and Reece Robson. On the back of a pair of Cowboys errors it was the Storm striking first when Cameron Munster put powerhouse prop Lazarus Vaalepu over for the opening try and Tyran Wishart converted for a 6-0 lead. Seven minutes later the Cowboys hit back when Scott Drinkwater delivered a superb pass for Feldt to cross in the right corner before Murray Taulagi scored on the left to make it 12-6 to the home side.

After losing Papenhuyzen and Marion Seve to injury, the Storm managed to steady and crossed in the 27th minute through Alec MacDonald and Wishart in the 35th minute to take a 16-12 lead. With half-time approaching, Feldt made it a double with his 20th try of the season and Val Holmes added the extras to give the Cowboys an 18-16 lead at the break.

Four minutes into the second term the Cowboys went further ahead when Holmes finished off good lead-up work by Drinkwater and Taulagi to make it 24-16. A penalty against Reuben Cotter for a high tackle in the 48th minute gave Wishart the chance to knock over two points and bring the Storm back within six.

Come the 56th minute and the Storm struck back when the Cowboys went for a short dropout and Jake Clifford's tap back went through Griffin Neame's legs and Wishart pounced. The hooker added the extras for 24-24. A line break by Dearden the Cowboys grabbed their fifth of the night through hooker Robson and the margin was back to six with Holmes' conversion. Cowboys halfback Jake Clifford chipped over the top in the 69th minute and the Storm were unable to clean it up, with Jeremiah Nanai picking up the scraps for his 13th try of the season and a 36-24 lead. A penalty against Vaalepu for a high tackle gave Holmes the chance to put the game out of reach with his seventh goal of the night before Ativalu Lisati charged 40 metres to score on debut as the Storm had the final word.

The Storm's Defensive Woes

Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy is optimistic Ryan Papenhuyzen's latest injury concern isn't serious but will be holding his breath until the Storm fullback has scans on a suspected corked lower leg. The Storm star lasted less than 15 minutes in Thursday's 38-30 loss to North Queensland in Townsville, pulled from the game after grabbing at his leg following a scramble to bring the ball out of his in-goal area.

The 26-year-old has endured a horror stretch of serious injuries that began with a 2021 concussion and was followed by a hamstring tear, fractured kneecap and fractured ankle. Papenhuyzen cut a relaxed figure on the bench in the second half but Bellamy was hesitant to give him the all-clear post-game.

"Not quite sure, but medical staff don't seem to think it's too bad," he said. "Don't know whether it's a cork or he's done something to that (leg). We'll see when he has a scan how bad it is, but they don't think it's too bad."

Marion Seve (ankle) was another casualty in the first half after his leg was caught in a tackle as he unsuccessfully reached to score a try. With the minor premiership secured and only a five-day break between games Bellamy rested 11 players for the trip north. They still pushed the Cowboys, versatile back Tyran Wishart arguably the best on ground as he caused havoc from dummy half.

Wishart launched an early 40-20 and scored twice to underline his value in the Storm's premiership charge and make it difficult to tell what his best position was. "Good question," Bellamy said.  "He can play basically anywhere and he's proven that. Mainly he sees himself in the halves or fullback. He's just so valuable ... and to play like he did tonight, most of it at dummy half, goes to show what type of player he is. He always does the right thing by the team, fits to what the plan is."

Bellamy confirmed he would pick his strongest team for the final-round clash against Brisbane, who need to win both their remaining games to be any chance of finishing in the top eight.

A Scrappy Performance, but Questions Remain

North Queensland co-captain Reuben Cotter has delivered a withering assessment of his side after they dodged a shock loss to a second-string Melbourne. The Cowboys prevailed 38-30 in Townsville on Thursday to put one hand on sixth spot and a home final with one regular-season NRL round remaining. Melbourne rested 11 regulars and lost fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen midway through the first half but still made 45 line breaks, the Cowboys missing 46 tackles to leave Cotter and coach Todd Payten shaking their heads.

"It was a very ugly win ... that was pretty poor leading into these next few weeks," Cotter said. "Play like that and it'll put us under a lot of pressure. I reckon there was a bit of frustration there, we've got to be better. It's a bit of an attitude thing to be honest. We need a reaction when the leaders speak and across the park got to be better."

The Cowboys would secure sixth place if Canterbury beat Manly on Friday night. Payten was as critical of his side's defensive failures as Cotter and said "questions will be answered" after they conduct a thorough review.

"One team came ready to roll their sleeve up, one wasn't ... too many missed tackles and we need to sharpen that up," he said. "We'll be cheering the Doggies (Canterbury) home pretty hard ... it'll be good to sit back with a cold beverage and just relax a little bit."

Prop Jason Taumalolo made 19 tackles and produced seven runs for 84 metres, including 41 post-contact metres in a 45-minute stint on return from a fractured cheek.