'I don't know what constitutes a player to get binned': Stuart questions consistency as Cowboys thrash Raiders

Stuart felt North Queensland should've had a player sent to the sin bin for repeated infringements on their own tryline.

The Raiders were never in the contest, as the Cowboys ran out 34-16 winners at Canberra Stadium on Friday night.

Canberra's horror home run continued.

They've lost three games in a row at Canberra Stadium by a combined score of 118-34.

It was the Cowboys' fifth win in a row against the Green Machine, who looked sluggish after the bye.

Not even resurrecting their tactic of staying at Canberra's airport hotel on Thursday night helped turn things around in the capital.

Cowboys halfback Chad Townsend was put on report for a high shot on Tom Starling, with Starling later coming off after a separate heard knock.

The Raiders hooker then failed his head injury assessment and looked unlikely to play against the Wests Tigers at Campbelltown on Sunday week.

Canberra's discipline was awful in the first half - not only squandering several chances to score, but giving away penalties to allow the Cowboys to get out of their own end.

Cowboys winger Kyle Feldt took advantage, scoring a first-half double as the visitors held a 22-0 lead at the break.

Stuart felt the Cowboys should've had a player sin-binned in the second half when they defended six sets on their tryline - giving away several six-agains in the process.

"Yeah [our discipline] did [cost us] and it's the first thing I spoke about at half-time," he said.

"But then we get four six-agains on their goal-line - I don't know what constitutes a player to get binned.

"They got us, they won the game in the first 20 to 30 minutes through us giving away field position."

Cowboys coach Todd Payten said he heard through referee Chris Sutton's microphone they were warned during that period that if they infringed again a player would be sent to the bin for 10 minutes.

But that infringement never came, with the Raiders losing the ball to turn over possession - and the Cowboys went straight up the other end to score a try.

"I heard through the sports ears that we got a warning so the next penalty was going to be a sin-binning and I don't totally disagree with the warning we got," Payten said.

"But we didn't give away another penalty so we didn't deserve to lose another player.

"We had to scramble there on our tryline for numerous sets and multiple plays and because we'd held onto the ball for such large periods we were able to do it set after set."

It was a good night for the Cowboys' State of Origin stars with Tom Dearden, Valentine Holmes, Reuben Cotter and Jeremiah Nanai all excellent.

In contrast, it was a tough night for Raiders and NSW second-rower Hudson Young, as part of a Green Machine that was well beaten in a lot of areas.

AT A GLANCE

NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS 34 (Kyle Feldt 2, Heilum Luki, Jeremiah Nanai, Valentine Holmes, Reece Robson tries; Holmes 5 goals) bt CANBERRA RAIDERS 16 (Jordan Rapana, Xavier Savage, Elliott Whitehead tries; Rapana 2 goals) at Canberra Stadium. Referee: Chris Sutton. Crowd: 9671.

The Canberra Raiders have returned to an old faithful in a bid to get their home form back on track.

They stayed at the airport hotel on Thursday night ahead of their clash against the North Queensland Cowboys at Canberra Stadium.

It's a formula that's worked for the Green Machine in the past - having stayed at various hotels around the capital the night before home games.

There's been the airport hotel, one out at Eagle Hawk and also one in Narrabundah.

They did it a couple of times last year, but hadn't used it this season yet - feeling that returning after a week off for the bye was the perfect time to pull it out.

It counts in their football department cap, along with other things like camps.

The Raiders have a winning record both home and away this year - having won three of five at Canberra Stadium this season, while winning four of their seven games away from the venue.

But they have lost their past two at home and were intent on turning that around against the Cowboys.

The Raiders have lost their past four against the Cows, but welcome back star second-rower Hudson Young from State of Origin duty with the NSW Blues.

He'll be looking to put in a big performance with Blues coach Michael Maguire set to name his game-two team on Sunday night.

The Cowboys were looking to bounce back from a big 30-point loss to the New Zealand Warriors last weekend as the Green Machine enjoyed a weekend off.

They'll be without prop Jordan McLean (calf), but welcome back Murray Taulagi (shoulder) and Reece Robson (neck).