‘You’re not doing that’: North Queensland Cowboys now implicated in dirty tactics scandal
Former North Queensland Cowboys back-rower, now trainer, Mitch Dunn, warms up before a match in 2021.
A fresh controversy has emerged following the North Queensland Cowboy’s dramatic 30-30 draw against the Panthers, as footage surfaced showing Penrith trainer Shane Elford spraying water onto the ball during the golden-point period of the match.
The incident, which was first reported by Code Sports, caused a stir among Cowboys fans, who were upset by ploy of the former ex-Super League star.
In an unexpected turn, it turns out North Queensland’s hands aren’t so clean either.
It appears that the Cowboys tried to replicate the exact same tactic just moments after the Panthers trainer was spotted spraying the game ball before a game restart.
With the scores still tied in extra time, Cowboys trainer Mitch Dunn, a former Cowboys player, was stopped in his tracks by referee Todd Smith.
Smith, caught wind of the situation and intervened – demanding that Dunn hand over the ball.
“Hang on, no, no, no … give me the ball,” Smith is heard saying in the footage.
“You’re not doing that. No way, get another football.”
After Smith kicked the ball toward the sideline, the game briefly stalled, prompting one Cowboys player to ask why the kick-off was delayed.
Smith gave a clear and direct explanation: “He squirted it with water.”
#Breaking: Damning vision has captured a Cowboys trainer tampering with the ball in an explosive twist to North Queensland’s controversial draw with Penrith.
WATCH the exclusive vision ➡️ https://t.co/w5aKgfijTj pic.twitter.com/auSXHC170B
— Courier Mail Sport (@cmail_sport) May 12, 2025
As of now, it remains unclear whether the NRL will take any further action against Elford or Dunn for the incidents.
Despite the growing controversy, NRL legend Billy Slater failed to condemn the tactic, suggesting that the NRL may simply issue a “warning” to avoid it becoming a regular part of the game.
“It’s a pretty cheeky thing to do,” Slater said during an episode of The Billy Slater Podcast on Nine.
“I don’t know whether it’s outside the rules – you’ve only got to play to the rules,” he said.
“If you’ve watched the Panthers closely, there’s so many things they’ve started doing over the last five years that every club is now copying.”
“They’re leaders in trying to find an edge. Is this too far? That’s a question mark.”
“They’re trying to find an edge and be that little bit better than the opposition. I can have a laugh and I think the NRL will probably give a warning.”
“I don’t look at it as harshly as some other people. A warning will be sufficient.”
The new revelation comes after Cowboys head coach Todd Payten criticised the Panthers post-match for interfering with the ball.
“He did it before every kick-off,” Payten told Code Sports.
“We saw it in the box. I’ll let the NRL sort it out, but we definitely noticed.”
Wetting the ball can make it more difficult to grip, increasing the likelihood of dropping or fumbling during a kick-off.
While the tactic may seem subtle at first, there’s no denying that it’s a deliberate attempt to interfere with the ball – something that goes against both the spirit of the game and NRL regulations.
The situation which occurred on Saturday at Queensland Country Bank Stadium has ignited further discussions on how far teams should go in seeking an advantage.
The NRL’s next steps, whether punitive or simply a warning, are still unclear at this stage.
