On 26 September 2015, the Cowboys qualified for only their second grand final defeating Melbourne 32–12 in the Preliminary Final in Melbourne. In the final, they beat the Brisbane Broncos in extra time in one of the closest grand finals in history, ending with a final score of 17–16. The game was won by a 'golden point' field goal taken by Johnathan Thurston on the fourth tackle of the first set of extra time, allowing the North Queensland Cowboys to win their first ever grand final. Thurston had helped create the last minute try that tied the game in regular time and then scraped the post as his conversion attempt was unsuccessful. Johnathan Thurston took home the Clive Churchill Medal for best on ground in the Grand Final.