The New Zealand Warriors secured a 38-20 victory over the North Queensland Cowboys on Sunday, but the win was overshadowed by a potentially serious injury to forward Jackson Ford. The star front-rower left the field midway through the first half after sustaining a pectoral injury during a tackle involving Tom Chester. Ford, who has been having a standout season and was narrowly trailing Nathan Cleary on the Daily M leaderboard following round 12, now faces an uncertain recovery period pending scan results. His absence would be a significant setback for the Warriors, a team with strong premiership aspirations.

Despite Ford’s early exit and the continued absence of key prop James Fisher-Harris, the Warriors found considerable support from Mitch Barnett, who stepped up in the forward pack. Barnett, coming off his State of Origin duties, made an impressive contribution with 23 runs covering 179 metres.

The Warriors bounced back strongly from a lackluster performance against Cronulla the previous week, thanks largely to Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad. Returning to the wing for the first time since 2017, Nicoll-Klokstad delivered a remarkable display, scoring four tries including a first-half hat-trick and a fourth try shortly after halftime. His performance proved decisive in extending the Warriors’ lead and ultimately securing the win.

This result narrows the gap at the top of the NRL ladder to just four points behind the Penrith Panthers, who suffered a surprising defeat to the Gold Coast Titans. The Warriors also benefited from solid contributions in defense and attack from players like Wayde Egan, who made several powerful runs early in the game. Te Maire Martin was instrumental in defense, producing a crucial tackle that prevented a likely Cowboys try.

For North Queensland, the loss marked a third consecutive defeat under coach Todd Payten, who had recently signed a contract extension to remain with the club. The Cowboys struggled defensively against the Warriors’ wide attack, conceding five tries to the opposition’s wingers. Veteran forward Jason Taumalolo was a notable figure prior to his sin-binning for a lifting tackle in the second half, and he appeared to be the only forward making a significant impact for North Queensland.

Fullback Scott Drinkwater stood out for the Cowboys with several attempts to spark the team, including an intercept that thwarted a try and two key try-assisting passes, but his efforts were insufficient to prevent the home side’s defeat. The Warriors’ victory reinforces their position as serious contenders as the season progresses, though the extent of Ford’s injury will be closely monitored in coming days.