Simply seeing Johnathan Thurston's now trademark chest bump in the coach's box is enough to inspire North Queensland these days, Michael Morgan says.
But Thurston is hardly the NRL's highest-paid cheerleader.
Cowboys playmaker Morgan insists the injured superstar's fingerprints are still all over North Queensland ahead of Sunday's NRL grand final against Melbourne.
The Cowboys have defied season-ending injuries to co-captains Thurston and Matt Scott to be in sight of a second premiership in three years.
Sidelined with a shoulder injury since June, Thurston is still very much an on-field influence.
Morgan said just the sight of Thurston triumphantly chest-bumping staff in the coach's box during their giant-killing run would lift the underdogs.
Thurston and Scott have routinely been captured on TV cameras wildly celebrating the Cowboys' success behind coach Paul Green during the unlikely finals charge.
"He (Thurston) loves the club and wants to see us do well, same with Matt," Morgan said.
"They have been great supporters all year, they have helped out when they can.
"They are up in the coach's box getting emotional which is good to see.
"It motivates us to want to do well because it means a lot to a lot of people."
But Morgan said Thurston was providing much more than just hearty back slaps.
The Dally M Halfback of the Year said Thurston was still hands-on with the Cowboys' plays.
"He bounced ideas off me, about certain plays and certain structures," he said.
"He has helped me improve my game, helped me play how I play not how he does.
"It's about improving my game."
Thurston has had the same effect on back-rower Ethan Lowe.
He hailed Thurston for improving his goalkicking after watching Lowe have a stinker in the warm-up ahead of last weekend's preliminary final against Parramatta.
"I had a couple of shockers. They missed by miles," Lowe told the PlayersVoice website.
"Fortunately for me, I had one of the greatest pressure kickers in history watching me.
"He gave me some advice. I won't say exactly what it was, but it helped me convert all four of the Cowboys' tries and we went on to beat Parramatta 24-16.
"It's pretty special having someone like Johnno around the group at this time of year."
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