Beware the wounded Cowboys in Townsville

Just when we were entertaining the idea that the Cowboys had turned the corner with the previous week's road win over Manly, they go and get towelled up by the last-placed Eels.

It was a huge missed opportunity, given that a victory could've lifted them from 14th to 12th and left them just two wins shy of the top eight. After the loss coach Paul Green said it wasn't down to his team's ability but questioned where players were at mentally.

There aren't many playing rosters in the NRL that look capable on paper of going on a long winning spree. The Cows are one such team, but the magic just isn't there on the field this year.

The Warriors might boast a very tidy record (9-4) but with all due respects to Stephen Kearney and his players, of all the teams in the top eight New Zealand and Brisbane still seem the most likely to slip out.

Hampered by injuries over the past month or so, the Warriors showed their fighting spirit with a dominant come-from-behind victory over Manly last week in Christchurch. They don't have the greatest record in Townsville but records are there to be broken if the Warriors want it badly enough.

Key match-up: It wasn't long ago that Jake Granville was being mentioned as a possible replacement for retired Queensland Origin legend Cameron Smith. That isn't going to happen with the Cowboys travelling so poorly, but he better bring his A-game on Friday or he will be taught a lesson by Issac Luke, who is in career-best form at the age of 31.

For the Cowboys to win: For a team that is performing far below expectations, the Cowboys seem to be avoiding in-fighting and finger-pointing (at least publicly), but they are lacking on-field chemistry. They need to get back to basics and try to dominate through their forward pack to allow Johnathan Thurston to do his thing.

For the Warriors to win: If the Warriors forwards can do some damage against a hot-and-cold Cowboys pack, it should open up space for Shaun Johnson to create for the likes of Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Ken Maumalo and prolific try-scoring winger David Fusitu'a. Johnson had an excellent comeback game last week after a month on the sidelines, while Fusitu'a scored a hat-trick of tries.

Cowboys Stat Attack: The Cowboys have a big milestone to play for on Friday night as they strive for their 250th win as a club when they take on the Warriors. They will be looking to winger Kyle Feldt to make an impact, having scored seven tries from five games against the Warriors.

Warriors Stat Attack: The Warriors have a pretty shocking record at Townsville, losing 11 of their past 12 games at 1300SMILES Stadium. But momentum is on their side to defy history on Friday night.

And another thing: Heading into the season the Warriors were among the favourites to finish near the bottom of the ladder, while the Cowboys were tipped to finish near the top. Yet here we are more than halfway through the season and the Warriors are fourth with nine wins from 13 games, while the Cows are 14th with a 4-10 record. Go figure.