How the mighty have fallen. North Queensland were a top-four team last year, but last night the Cowboys virtually took possession of the wooden spoon when South Sydney continued their sensational 2008 revival, by coming from 24 points down in the second half to win with a last-minute field goal at Dairy Farmers Stadium.

The game finished sensationally.

Rabbitohs halfback Chris Sandow kicked the winner in the 80th minute, but then he knocked on from the kick-off and Souths had to withstand a last-gasp charge from the Cowboys, whose fullback, Anthony Watts, had a shot at field goal to try to force extra time. The kicked was charged down. What a finish.

The battle for the spoon looked like it had been dragged back to life when the Cowboys scored three tries in the first seven minutes of the second half to stretch their half-time lead of 12-4 to 28-4.

But then South Sydney staged an amazing comeback to leave them gasping for air.

It was the second biggest comeback victory in NRL history, second only to the Cowboys' own effort in 1998 when they beat Penrith 36-28 after being down 26-0 at half-time.

"It was an amazing comeback and a great performance in the end, but the last half an hour of what we did before that wasn't good enough," Souths coach Jason Taylor said.

"We won't dwell on that here, it was a great victory in the end but we have got to play from the start and we certainly didn't."

Despite the 24-point deficit, Taylor never lost belief that his players could mount a comeback due to their recent penchant for putting on quick points.

"You never give up completely … because of what we have done the last few weeks," he said.

"We are showing that we can score some tries. Earlier in the year we definitely would have been gone."

It was the ninth straight loss for North Queensland and the third straight win for Souths.

And it was an occasion for the big signing for the Rabbitohs this season - Craig Wing - to celebrate his comeback after he had been out since he was injured in the first round against his old club, the Sydney Roosters.

Wing dashed into the clear and threw a clever dummy to score a try after looking gone early in the second half.

Souths scored three tries in seven minutes to storm back into the game, trailing 28-22, with still 20 minutes to go.

Despite playing away from home, the Rabbitohs were favourites with the bookmakers, having resurrected their season with back-to-back triumphs row while North Queensland were on the slide.

North Queensland coach Ian Millward said his side was shattered.

"The boys are absolutely devastated, there is not much I can report on," he said.

"If you have been involved in sport you can imagine how they feel.

"They played really well there for long periods and controlled the game, and the momentum swung and we had to do a lot of defending in the second half."

The Rabbitohs had started the game in second-last place, just two points ahead of the Cowboys, and were set to be joined by them on 10 points when North Queensland stormed clear.

But, after Souths had come close to scoring a couple of times in the first few minutes, it was the Cowboys who made opportunities count and established an advantage.

Cowboys prop Ray Cashmere scored a try in the eighth minute and winger John Williams scored another only two minutes later.

Williams converted both to give the home side a 12-0 lead.

The Rabbitohs managed to steady the ship somewhat after that and had a couple of try-scoring opportunities midway through the first half, but couldn't convert them.

Finally, they got on the scoreboard when their prop and captain, Roy Asotasi, came up with a try in the 32nd minute.

Hooker Issac Luke failed to convert, but at least the Rabbitohs had registered something, to trail 12-4, and that was how it went to half-time.

Souths were entitled to think they were back in the game, but North Queensland began the second half sensationally.

They regained possession by coming up with a short kick-off that caught the Rabbitohs unaware and the set finished with centre Ashley Graham scoring a try.

Tries followed to centre Ben Harris and Graham again, after a fabulous double kick from fullback Watts, with all three converted by Williams.

The Rabbitohs looked gone for all money, but there was an incredible comeback in store.

After they had fought their way back to just six points down, the Rabbitohs kept fighting and in the 74th minute fullback Luke Capewell scored a try and Luke converted to lock it all up at 28-28. Then Sandow wrapped it up.

The Cowboys are now four points below the second-last team on the competition table.

South Sydney jumped two places, to 13th, with the win, although one of the teams they leapt - the Warriors - still have the chance to finish this round ahead of them by getting a result against the Wests Tigers at Leichhardt Oval today.

But after also beating the Gold Coast Titans by a point five nights earlier, it was all glory, glory to South Sydney.

SOUTH SYDNEY 29 (R Asotasi F Talanoa C Wing J Simpson L Capwell tries I Luke 4 goals C Sandow field goal) bt NORTH QUEENSLAND 28 (A Graham 2 R Cashmere J Williams B Harris tries J Williams 4 goals) at Dairy Farmers Stadium. Referee: T De Las Heras. Crowd: 15,631.