Skytrans NQ United's two-year title run was broken with Queensland Outback defeating last year's winners 40-16 in the annual encounter at Sunshine Coast Stadium on Sunday, July 15.
Travelling hundreds of kilometres to be there; both teams arrived in camp on Thursday to prepare for the rewarding annual "Origin-like" clash.
Queensland Outback were determined to reverse the results of past years and started positively, scoring in the fourth minute after a Jack Just 'show and go' fooled the North Queensland defence.
Read the full QRL Match Report here --> Queensland Outback break title drought
While they didn't get the result they were looking for; the match was still a great experience for members of the NQ United team who put in a great effort to be involved in the contest.
QRL Northern Assistant Manager Robbie Moore said some of the players had to travel from the northern tip of Australia to get to the game.
"The boys from Badu Island had to fly into Horn Island, then fly down to Cairns then fly from Cairns to Brisbane, then a bus trip," Moore said.
"A lot of the Gulf boys drove down too,from Coen, which is an eight hour drive just to Cairns."
The travel time only afforded the side two short training sessions in the days leading up to the game according to Moore.
"They really only got one training session in on the Friday and another on the Saturday, so probably not the best preparation for them as a team," he said.
However, the side still put on a great show against the Outback side who proved just too strong on the day.
