Brisbane Broncos playmaker Jake Turpin snatched a dramatic 18-14 win to inflict misery on North Queensland Cowboys in a fiery final derby showdown at 1300SMILES Stadium.

The Cowboys were on the brink of ending a three-match NRL losing streak at the expense of their rivals on Thursday, but Turpin slipped his way through for a match-winning try with just under a minute to go.

It may not only be the points that North Queensland, who will have a new home next season, lose after a stormy contest.

Josh McGuire could find himself in disciplinary trouble after appearing to make contact close to David Fifita's eye with his hand while the Broncos player was on the ground.

McGuire was given a record $4,500 fine for grappling with the face of Dylan Walker in June, having been guilty of a similar offence on Cameron Munster earlier in the season.

Brisbane opened the scoring with an early four-pointer from Anthony Milford, brilliantly set up by Jamayne Isaako, but it was 6-6 at the break following a converted Shane Wright score.

Jake Clifford's clever solo effort put the hosts in front and he was on target with a penalty nine minutes from time to give Cowboys a slender advantage after Fifita went over at the other end.

The Broncos had the final say, though, Turpin wriggling his way through to go under the posts for a converted try, moving his side up to seventh place as Paul Green's Cowboys failed to withstand huge late pressure.