Not only does Brent Tate happily admit North Queensland have an "us and them" attitude, the injured Cowboy hopes they use it to their advantage in Friday night's NRL semi-final against the Sydney Roosters.
But the man who has used a siege mentality to claim eight straight State of Origin series - Queensland coach Mal Meninga - hopes the Cowboys won't play that card.
Ex-Test winger Tate at first tried to play down the fallout from Cowboys coach Paul Green's crack at the NRL judiciary that earned the club a $10,000 fine.
However, Tate couldn't resist when asked if it was easy to develop an "us and them" attitude up north at the Cowboys.
"Absolutely," said Tate who linked with North Queensland in 2011.
"I hope Greeny during the week has really drummed that into the boys.
"I know as a player I felt like that.
"The guys heading down tomorrow night, I am sure there is going to be that siege mentality.
"There is definitely that feeling of 'us versus them' at the moment."
The Cowboys' already strained relationship with the NRL was tested again when Green copped the hefty fine for claiming he did not bother fighting back-rower Tariq Sims' lengthy shoulder charge ban because he had no faith in the judiciary process.
North Queensland had also claimed the NRL was "Sydney-centric" after refereeing howlers marred their finals exit the past two years.
Now it seems they have the Roosters in their sights.
Cowboys assistant Terry Matterson said a huge ex-Roosters contingent at North Queensland hoped to "get one back" on their former club on Friday night.
"There's quite a few former chooks in this team," Matterson said.
"In the squad I think we have 13 players plus myself and Greeny have played there.
"It's a good opportunity to get one back. For whatever reason we are not there now.
"This is the first entree, the second one is next week and hopefully the main course will be in two weeks' time."
It echoed the sentiments of the "Cook the Chooks" Townsville Bulletin front page that depicted retiring Roosters skipper Anthony Minichiello as a chicken, earning the ire of coach Trent Robinson on Thursday.
Meninga admitted he had used the siege mentality to his advantage in the past.
However, the master coach did not believe it would be the right approach for a North Queensland side nursing the mental scars of the last two finals series.
"They've had a rough trot the last couple of years, it's cost them an opportunity to play in a grand final," he said.
"Referees really don't come into consideration. You have to put it out of your mind.
"If they do get a rough call, the best way to combat that is get back and make sure your next effort is spot on and I think they will do that."
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