Thurston helps Cowboys end Storm hoodoo

A vintage performance from Johnathan Thurston has helped the North Queensland Cowboys break an 11-year hoodoo in Melbourne with a 20-16 victory over the Storm at AAMI Park on Saturday evening.

Thurston set up all three of the Cowboys tries and didn't miss a shot on goal as North Queensland picked up their first win in Melbourne since 2001 and sent Storm stumbling to a third consecutive loss.

Kane Linnett was the main benefactor of Thurston's splendid play, with the in-form centre picking up two tries, while Brent Tate also got his name on the scoresheet.

Matt Duffie, Gareth Widdop and Anthony Quinn managed to get over the line for the hosts, but it proved in vain, as Storm lost for the third consecutive game for the first time since 2010.

The loss was the also first time since 2005 that they have lost three straight games on home soil.

Storm remain top of the competition, but barely, with the Bulldogs level on points, while the Cowboys cement their spot in the top eight and move closer to edging into the top four.

Storm made their intentions clear early on and scored the opening try of the night after 10 minutes through Duffie.

Cooper Cronk put a deft little kick out to the right wing for Duffie and the winger beat two Cowboys in the air, rotated his body to the right and touched down in spectacular fashion as Storm gained the early ascendancy.

The Cowboys hit back almost immediately, with the dangerous duo of Thurston and Matt Bowen combining to set up Linnett for a try out wide.

Thurston did what Storm counterpart Cameron Smith couldn't and converted the try as the Cowboys led 6-4 after 20 minutes.

It was end-to-end stuff late in the opening half, with both teams looking dangerous with ball in hand but unable to put points on the board.

Cronk and Smith were given time to do what they pleased out of dummy-half, while a Bowen line-break amounted to nothing after an excellent tackle from Widdop.

In fact, the defence was top notch from both sides and it meant the Cowboys took a narrow two-point (6-4) advantage into the break.

The Cowboys hadn't lost in 2012 when leading at half-time and the trend looked like continuing when the visitors enjoyed plenty of possession and dominated the early exchanges of the second period.

Only a last-gasp effort from Widdop just inches out stopped Linnett from crossing the line, while Jesse Bromwich blew a big chance for Storm when he knocked on in space and 10 metres out.

But against the run of play, Storm scored and it was a lovely well-thought out play by Smith that got the hosts back in it.

The Storm skipper dummied left, worked his way to the right, before grubbering into the in-goal area for Widdop to run on to and score.

Smith converted the try he helped create as Storm restored their four-point lead, but his effort was more than matched by Thurston once again moments later.

The Cowboys star re-gathered his own chip-kick and then booted the Steeden out of mid-air and into the in-goal area for Tate to run on to.

Tate planted the ball down to score and when Thurston masterfully kicked the extras from the right sideline, the Cowboys were back in front by two with a quarter of the game remaining.

Justin O'Neill had