Henderson hurt as Cowboys thrash Roosters

Sydney Roosters' miserable start to the NRL season continued on Thursday as they were thrashed 40-0 by North Queensland Cowboys and saw Ian Henderson suffer a serious leg injury.

Tries to Kane Linnett and Antonio Winterstein inside the first eight minutes set the tone for a dominant display from the Cowboys, for whom five further players touched down thereafter.

Johnathan Thurston added six conversions as last year's NRL champions bounced back from a disappointing defeat to Parramatta Eels last time out.

And if the result was not damaging enough for the Roosters, who remain light on experience with the likes of Mitchell Pearce and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves absent, there was a sour end to proceedings for the visitors as Henderson appeared to sustain a broken right leg when making a tackle in the last seconds of the game.

There was clear concern over the condition of Henderson, with an ambulance brought on to the field as treatment of the player continued after the final whistle. Roosters coach Trent Robinson also confirmed after the match that Dale Copley had ruptured a pectoral muscle.

The Cowboys' first two scores came courtesy of similar moves from right to left and, although the Roosters threatened to respond, Lachlan Coote added a third try on the stroke of half-time.

Scott Bolton, Michael Morgan and Jason Taumalolo also crossed after the interval, while Kyle Feldt rounded things off in the right corner following a wonderful cut-out pass from Morgan, as North Queensland hit their stride ahead of next week's Grand Final rematch with Brisbane Broncos.