Is this the tackle that caused Ethan Lowe's spinal injury?

The Cowboys have launched an official complaint with the NRL over the alleged tackle that left Ethan Lowe with a serious spinal injury.

According to News Corp, irate coach Paul Green emailed NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg and referees boss Tony Archer last week over a tackle that left Lowe without feeling in his hands and feet.

Club medical staff initially feared he may never play again. Lowe will have surgery this week in an ­attempt to take pressure off his spine.

It had emerged before the Cowboys' home sudden-death semi-final against Brisbane on Friday night that Lowe had been struggling with a neck complaint from last week's qualifying final loss to Melbourne.

But Cowboys coach Paul Green surprised a big media contingent in Townsville on Thursday when he revealed the full extent of Lowe's injury.

"Ethan Lowe's season is finished," he said.

"Unfortunately, he has injured his spinal cord. As you can imagine, it is pretty serious and pretty sensitive.

"Outside of that, I can't comment too much. It's really devastating."

The incident, during the Cowboys' 16-10 loss to the Storm at AAMI Park in week one of the finals, is believed to have occurred during Lowe's second hit-up of the match.

However the tackle wasn't flagged in the NRL match review committee's official review summary of the game.

Lowe played out the ­remainder of the match, ­carrying the football on 14 occasions despite the injury.

"The NRL match review committee cleared our players of any wrongdoing from every tackle in that game," Bemused Storm CEO Dave Donaghy said.

"You would think both teams would do better to be preparing for the preliminary final than trying to influence referees on the weekend.

The Cowboys claim three players suffered neck injuries during the qualifying final because of Melbourne's wrestling techniques.

The 25-year-old Lowe had enjoyed a breakout year in 2016, at one stage earning a Queensland State of Origin 18th man call-up.

He had played every game - all 25 - this season, averaging 14 hit-ups, 33 tackles and more than 120m per match.

The Cowboys will be hoping Lowe can follow in the footsteps of fellow North Queensland forward James Tamou who made a successful recovery last year from a serious neck injury.

with AAP