Cowboys expect to be written off again

North Queensland coach Paul Green expects the Cowboys to be written off again ahead of their NRL semi-final against Parramatta at ANZ Stadium.

The message from defiant North Queensland coach Paul Green was clear after their shock win that ended Cronulla's NRL title defence.

"By no means was that our grand final," he said.

North Queensland became the first eighth-ranked team to advance to the semi-finals under the current NRL system after their 15-14 extra-time boilover against the Sharks on Sunday.

But Green said the injury-hit Cowboys had kept the reins on their celebrations ahead of Saturday night's semi-final against Parramatta at ANZ Stadium.

"There was a bit of elation after the game and I am happy for that, it's good to savour the moment," Green said on Monday.

"But very quickly the boys' minds will turn to next week."

North Queensland were written off leading into the finals after losing five of their last six games and relying on other results to scrape into the top eight.

Green did not expect anything to change ahead of their Eels clash despite their weekend heroics.

"I do expect that, and it doesn't worry me one bit," he said.

"The only thing that matters is the belief that we have in our group.

"We are confident we can improve on the weekend, we just need to add a little polish on our attack."

Green made a point of Queensland coach Kevin Walters' dismissal of the Cowboys as finals "cannon fodder" after their extra-time win.

But the Cowboys mentor insisted his side would not be distracted by the critics this week.

"We haven't worried at all about what other people are saying," he said.

"We are only focused on what we think and that is what is most important."

The Cowboys have had rotten luck all season with an injury list that includes co-captains Johnathan Thurston and Matt Scott.

However, Green believed the Cowboys may finally be reversing their fortunes.

"We have been playing and competing really hard and luck or the bounce of the ball probably hadn't been going our way," he said.

"But I had been saying to the boys for a couple of months now that if you hang in there eventually it turns, now hopefully we are bearing the fruits of that."


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Source: AAP



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