It seems the omens aren't good for the men expected to step up for North Queensland in Johnathan Thurston's absence in what is expected to be another epic NRL derby against Brisbane on Thursday night.
Cowboys winger Kyle Feldt reckoned backrower Coen Hess had a better chance of landing a match winning field goal after witnessing the recent efforts of playmaker Michael Morgan and No.1 Lachlan Coote.
Coote -- back from a two week ankle injury -- and Morgan helped spark North Queensland to a last-gasp win over Wests Tigers last round that kept their finals hopes alive.
And the pair were again expected to step up against third-placed Brisbane in a game they must win to seal a top eight berth.
Like he has done time and again, Thurston took control and nailed the match-winning golden point field goal to clinch a 21-20 victory the last time the Queensland arch rivals met in round two.
Four of their past five derbies have been decided in extra-time -- usually by Thurston's boot.
Asked if Coote and Morgan had been practising field goals this week, Feldt laughed: "They do that every week but they are shocking.
"I think Hessy is the man to give it to.
"He's always knocking them over."
But Feldt still backed Morgan and Coote to prove the difference against the Broncos.
"Morgo has come a long way especially since the ANZAC Test, he has taken on a leadership role and taken another step up on the field," he said.
"And Cootey came back from an ankle injury and he really put that out of his mind and did the job for us."
Feldt admitted the notoriously tight tussles with Brisbane sometimes weren't a lot of fun at all.
But he believed another extra-time win would sure beat the alternative.
North Queensland can scrape into the finals if they lose but must sweat on other results on the weekend to go their way, ensuring an anxious wait.
"They (derbies) are good to be a part of but it's not much fun to play because if you switch off a little bit you can open up a gap and someone can go through and that is the game done," Feldt said.
"But we are all aware that our destiny is in our own hands.
"If we do lose there is a nervous wait over the weekend and no one wants that."
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