When it is on, there is no better rivalry in the modern NRL competition.
Brisbane and North Queensland, the Sunshine State’s two oldest teams have treated fans to some of the most memorable contests in the league’s history, with plenty of those coming from the mid-2010’s when both were chasing Premiership honours.
If you think that is hyperbole, take a look at some of the epic games these two sides have played in and then try to pick a top 10.
That’s exactly what we did and it was a tough exercise trimming the list down and them putting them in order!
10. 2019 Round 21
This was hardly a banner season for either team, with the Cowboys missing the finals and the Broncos landing in eighth place.
However this derby delivered on the drama and any game decided by a last second try has to earn a spot on the list.
With a quarter of an hour to play, Brisbane trailed 12-6 but came home with the wettest of sails to stun North Queensland in their farewell to their original home.
Jake Turpin scored the match winner and the Broncos outscored the Cowboys 12-2 in the final 15 minutes to record one last win at what was then known as 1300 Smiles Stadium.
9. 2016 Semi Final
It was the finals match everyone wanted to see and it did not disappoint as the Broncos and Cowboys played out yet another extra time thriller.
A Corey Oates try gave the Broncos a 20-18 lead with ten minutes left and despite some desperate defence, the Cowboys levelled the score through a Jonathon Thurston penalty with two minutes to go.
In the extra period, now a full ten minutes instead of golden point, Thurston produced a moment of magic for most players but the standard fare for him with a deft pass to set up what would be the decisive Michael Morgan try.
8. 2021 Round 9
No Thurston, no worries for the Cowboys as Valentine Holmes delivered a masterclass in the final five minutes.
With Brisbane narrowly clinging to an 18-12 lead, Jason Taumalolo crashed over to give Holmes a chance to level the scores with his conversion from right in front.
Less than a minute later the Cowboys were back down the Broncos end of the field and in position to win it.
However their last tackle attempts at a field goal were initially thwarted, Holmes got the ball in the midst of a mad scramble and cooly slotted what would be the game winning field goal.
7. 2009 Round 1
The 2009 NRL season could hardly have gotten off to a better start.
Both sides had the momentum at times during this clash and it was the Cowboys that had the advantage heading into the final quarter of the game.
The Broncos scored to level things at the 66 minute mark and both sides missed out on a golden opportunity to start the season with a victory before a Peter Wallace field-goal with three minutes left to play proved decisive.
6. 2017 Round 2
A frantic first half between two sides with Premiership dreams in 2017 set the table for another tense finish.
After an hour of bruising rugby league, the Cowboys took a 20-18 lead through a Thurston penalty before Anthony Milford levelled the scores with five minutes remaining.
Both sides had chances to win the game before the 87th minute but it was Thurston once again, nailing a field goal at his second attempt of the night to give the Cowboys bragging rights.
5. 2010 Round 1
Somehow these two teams managed to improve on their Round 1 thriller from 12 months earlier.
The Broncos were all over the Cowboys and they kicked away to a 24-0 victory early in the second half before Johnathan Thurston and Matt Bowen led an incredible Cowboys comeback to get it back to 24-all.
The Cowboys had all the momentum, but the Broncos still had something left and a late Denan Kemp secured Brisbane an incredible victory.
4. 2018 Round 2
Everything about this game defined the Broncos-Cowboys rivalry of the mid-2010’s, right down to the wild ending.
Brisbane lead 18-8 at halftime but that was far from the end of the contest as North Queensland stormed back to reduce the deficit to four points with eight minutes to play.
After the Broncos were denied an insurance try through some determined defending, Thurston put Scott Bolton through a hole five metres from the try line…
Only for Bolton to be sent crashing into the goalpost before he could ground the ball, losing control and allowing Brisbane to survive a nervous ending.
3. 2012 Round 2
One of the earliest games of the season ended up being arguably the best game of the year.
The Cowboys and Broncos traded tries for the majority of this fixture and it was Brisbane that took control of the game in the 70th minute.
You can never write off the Cowboys and a moment of magic from Bowen stole the victory for North Queensland in an absolute epic.
2. 2016 Rounds 4 & 11
Admittedly this is cheating a bit, combining the two regular season clashes into one entry, but it was done with good reason.
Deciding which game was better really depends on which part of Queensland you are from.
In Round 4, the Broncos and Cowboys met for the first time since their Grand Final (more on that later) and the drama was right on par with that night in Sydney.
However unlike that game, Brisbane would emerge victorious in Golden Point with Anthony Milford slotting the game winning field goal, providing Brisbane fans with some very hollow consolation.
Seven rounds later they faced off again in Townsville and the Broncos took an early 12 point lead, however Thurston’s brilliance shone through at the end, nailing a field goal to give the Cowboys a much needed win, in the third consecutive game decided by a single point.
1. 2015 Grand Final
Does anything more need to be said about this truly epic Grand Final?
It looked as though it was going to be heartbreak once again for the Cowboys as they were unable to break the Broncos defence in the second half, but a Michael Morgan flick pass after the final hooter allowed Kyle Feldt to cross for an incredible try.
Thurston missed out on his chance to secure the premiership when his conversion hit the upright, but he didn’t miss again when he had a shot at a field goal following Ben Hunt’s famous knock-on from the kick-off.
Even the most hardened Broncos fan had to be a little bit happy for Thurston in the midst of their most disappointing defeat.