The incredible turnaround of the North Queensland Cowboys in 2022 has surprised almost everyone.

Somehow, the side that finished 2021 in 15th spot as the competition's worst defensive side has just booked itself a home preliminary final.

North Queensland have languished in the bottom eight since 2018. But head coach Todd Payten has managed to change their fortunes.

With the 2022 Cowboys in mind, we will explore eight other times in which teams have been able to climb from one end of the ladder to the other in a single season.

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1. Sydney Roosters 2010

It's perhaps the ultimate rugby league fairytale, to go from wooden spooners to premiers in just 12 months.

Unfortunately, this fairytale never got a happily ever after but going from 16th place to appearing in a grand final is not to be scoffed at either.

Under the gaze of current NSW coach Brad Fittler, the Roosters had concluded 2009 with 5 wins and 18 losses, with the club claiming its first spoon since the 60s.

Fittler would not oversee the 2010 season and it was instead up to veteran coach Brian Smith to put the pieces back together.

The home and away season was a marked improvement from the year prior, with the Roosters claiming sixth place and a spot in the finals.

2010 saw the club debut of Todd Carney whose fine form would see him claim the Dally M that year.

This season also saw the debut of current Roosters enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves.

On their journey to the grand final, the Roosters would claim one of the most memorable finals wins of all time when they met the Wests Tigers at Allianz Stadium.

The 100-minute encounter was taken to golden point when Braith Anasta snapped a clutch field goal from outside 30 meters.

The match was decided in minute 99 when Shaun Kenny-Dowall intercepted a West Tigers spiral pass and ran 60 meters to score the match-winner.

Sydney Roosters 19 - Wests Tigers 15.

The Roosters met the Dragons in the grand final however Wayne Bennett's St George Illawarra side closed the book on a fairytale after halftime.

A close opening half saw the Roosters lead 8 - 6, but the Dragons reclaimed their mojo in the second 40 to claim a 32-8 win.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 18: Braith Anasta of the Roosters dives over to score a try during the second NRL semi final match between the Sydney Roosters and the Penrith Panthers at the Sydney Football Stadium on September 18, 2010 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
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4 COMMENTS

  1. It.s your article, so I donโ€™t want to be presumptuous. Iโ€™m also a Panthersโ€™ supporter, so I will acknowledge my bias. It perhaps ranks somewhere between 3 and 5 โ€“ They didnโ€™t have the bounce-back effect of internal drama like the Roosters in 3, but didnโ€™t necessarily climb as far. However, they were also wooden spooners two years prior and sat in fifteenth in the second week of the 2003 season. Based on that, Iโ€™ll leave it to you to judgeโ€ฆ but it certainly ranks 5 at least and I would argue higher.

  2. If I am honest the criteria for the rankings were kind of hard to pin down. Is it more impressive to come from 9th โ€“ 12th to win a prem or 13th โ€“ 16th and play deep into finals? Also how much do you factor in previous years in a one-year turnaround? Guess to some degree itโ€™s quite subjective. Without delving too deep into the 02 Panthers I would say 03 Penrith is comparable to 13 Roosters so probably 4th or 5th.

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