They may have been written off again but North Queensland prop Scott Bolton believes the injury-hit Cowboys have convinced the critics that count they can win without Johnathan Thurston.
Bolton said he would always get asked on the street in Townsville if North Queensland could win the NRL title when Thurston first succumbed to a season-ending shoulder injury in June.
But Bolton says he hasn't heard much these days.
Considering Thurston has been limited to just seven games this year, Bolton thought it was only a good thing ahead of Saturday night's knockout semi-final against Parramatta at ANZ Stadium.
"You would hear 'can you win without JT' a lot just from people," Bolton told AAP.
"But I haven't heard it as much this year.
"He has been missing a chunk of the year and we have had some wins without him.
"That talk around here has disappeared.
"We have proven to ourselves and to our public that we can get the job done without him.
"We believe this squad can go all the way."
Bolton admits North Queensland will be given no chance of upsetting Parramatta at ANZ Stadium despite last week's heroics.
The Cowboys pulled off an extra-time boilover win against Cronulla, ending the Sharks' title defence.
"It doesn't bother us too much. We are by no means ready to finish," Bolton said of the critics.
Bolton, 30, has been a key to North Queensland finding finals life after JT.
The veteran prop has stood up in the absence of Test front-rower Matt Scott, who suffered a season-ending knee injury just two rounds into the season.
That started the horror injury run that has forced coach Paul Green to churn through 32 players to date this season.
"It was a massive blow to lose Matty so early," Bolton said.
"But everyone has stepped up and done their job."
The last time they played, in round 14 in Darwin, North Queensland relied on Thurston's kicking game to thump the Eels 32-6.
It proved to be the last game he played for the Cowboys this year.
"When we played them in Darwin the difference up there was JT's kicking game," Bolton said.
"Without JT there I am hoping Michael Morgan or Lachlan Coote can take over the kicking game and we defend off the back of that."
