After starting the season with a sizzling five-game winning streak, the Warriors have reverted to their hot-and-cold ways of old.
Five-eighth Blake Green said rectifying their inconsistent recent form had been a theme among the team at training this week as they try to win back-to-back games for the first time since their unbeaten start to the season ended in round six against the Broncos.
Off the back of a short turnaround after comfortably handling Manly 34-14 last Saturday in Christchurch the Warriors head to Townsville for Friday night's showdown with North Queensland desperate to rediscover the consistency needed to maintain their top-four position.
However, it has not been a happy hunting ground - they have one just once in their last 12 trips to the NRL's northern-most club.
The Warriors have recorded a win over the Cowboys this season, 22-12 in round five - though they have not defeated Johnathan Thurston's men twice in a regular season since 2002.
Green believes the key to their chances will be to build on what worked for them last Saturday.
"Look, two in a row, it's obviously something we haven't been to good at in recent times. But we are really looking forward to this one," he said.
"It's a chance to go enjoy some warmer weather and we get to spend some time away from home in camp together so as a group the away trip is something we are looking forward to.
"We can't afford to shift our focus too far. We just need to focus on ourselves and where we need to improve and if we can do that hopefully we can get some consistency with our performances and our results."
Green felt the Cowboys had been "unlucky" in recent weeks and the results did not reflect how dangerous last year's runners-up can be. Their last three losses have been by a combined margin of eight points.
"They have some tremendous players in their team, I think they have been quite unlucky this year. They have played some really strong footy and the results just haven't quite gone their way. We kow we have to bring our best performance."
