Coach Michael Maguire praised his forwards after South Sydney Rabbitohs produced their best display of the year to beat North Queensland Cowboys 31-18 in Townsville.
The Cowboys went into the game having won seven of their last eight home games, but were distinctly second-best against the reigning premiers.
The Cowboys went into the game having won seven of their last eight home games, but were distinctly second-best against the reigning premiers.
The visitors completed 34 sets out of 39, and Maguire was delighted with their efforts over the full 80 minutes.
"There's a lot of belief amongst us as a team and the players know what they're capable of," said the coach. "It's just a matter of doing that for 80 minutes which we produced tonight and that's something that we need to keep producing."
The forwards pack came in for special praise, with Maguire saying they had laid a good platform for the victory.
"Obviously the Cowboys have got a big forward pack and they rolled forward. We knew that and we had to make sure that we performed the way we were capable of and I thought the forwards did that for us tonight," he added.
"It allowed our halves to play off the back and then obviously Greg (Inglis) out the back there with his edge plays."
Though the Cowboys had 55 per cent of the possession, they trailed from the third minute when Inglis scored the first of his side's five tries - all of which were converted by Adam Reynolds.
North Queensland are 4/1 to win the grand final.
The Rabbitohs had big efforts from the Burgess wins, who ran for a combined 271 metres, while Kyle Turner weighed in with a game-high 46 tackles.
The visitors only had a one-point advantage at the break but ran in the first three tries of the second half through Jason Clark, Alex Johnston and Dylan Walker.
The Cowboys' defeat gives Sydney Roosters, who are 19/20 conceding a 24.5-points start, chance to move above them into second spot if they beat Parramatta Eels.
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