Canberra’s NRL season is on life support after North Queensland consigned them to a fourth straight defeat with a 31-18 win.

In sub-zero conditions at GIO Stadium on Saturday night, the Cowboys were led by an outstanding performance from halfback Michael Morgan, who staked a strong claim to start for Queensland in the State of Origin decider with a try-scoring double.

Morgan and five-eighth Te Maire Martin, who also grabbed a double, were superb in their first game together, in a promising sign of what the new halves combination can offer after Johnathan Thurston’s season-ending shoulder injury.

Star forward Jason Taumaololo put in a strong shift running for 177 metres and former Raider Shaun Fensom ran for 176 for the Cowboys after starting on the bench.

The Raiders burst out of the gates with Elliott Whitehead scoring in the corner, with claims of a Jordan Rapana knock on dismissed by the bunker.

The Cowboys hit back through Martin, after Morgan dished off a superb offload to allow him to score a try after 13 minutes.

A conversion and penalty goal put the visitors in front, while Antonio Winterstein scored to extend the lead to six with 10 minutes remaining in the half.

Fullback Lachlan Coote then slotted a field goal just before half time to give the Cowboys a 13-6 lead heading to the break.

Joe Tapine’s second half try was cancelled out by a brilliant Morgan try, with Lowe’s conversion taking the score to 19-12.

After Morgan made it a double three minutes later, teenage Raider Nick Cotric gave his side some hope with a dazzling long-range individual try, before Martin wrapped the game up on his Cowboys debut.

In a disastrous night for Canberra, skipper Jarrod Croker failed a concussion test after coming from the field in the first half and was also nursing a knee injury after two heavy contacts from Justin O’Neill.

Test prop Shannon Boyd may come under scrutiny from the match review panel for a possible shoulder charge, as could Joey Leilua, who was sin-binned late in ther game for striking.