The moment that brought down Cowboys

Where has it all gone wrong for the Cowboys, who looked so good mid-season but have fallen away badly and now are in real danger of missing finals footy?Rarely can a team's demise be put down to one moment - and it came in 20th minute of the round 22 clash against the Titans in late July.It was then that Cowboys centre Val Holmes whacked Titans youngster Jayden Campbell with a swinging arm to the head and was sin binned.The Titans scored an upset win, taking advantage of Holmes' 10-minute absence, and the Cowboys then challenge the grading of the tackle at the judiciary - and lost again.Holmes was outed for the rest of the regular season and the Cowboys haven't won since, falling to the Broncos and Sharks to leave themselves in a perilous position.Holmes' absence has proven he is their x-factor - he has strike power and a real presence on the field and without him they have struggled badly … and face an early exit from the title race.