Payten's plan to keep calm and carry on to the finals

His stomach may be churning and his mind racing ahead of Saturday night's trip to BlueBet Stadium but Cowboys coach Todd Payten credits his players for keeping him calm ahead of the do-or-die encounter.

After going within one game of a grand final berth in 2022, the Cowboys know a loss to the Panthers could see them finish as low as 11th depending on the margin and other results.

A win over the premiers could catapult them into seventh if the Roosters beat the Rabbitohs on Friday night and the Sharks beat the Raiders in the final game of the regular season, so the stakes couldn't be higher for Payten and his men.

Working in their favour is the fact they are one of only five teams to have beaten the Panthers this season, part of a six-game winning streak that lifted them from 16th on the ladder to seventh and breathed new life into their campaign.

The 27-23 golden point triumph came on home soil in Round 16 and Payten is well aware a much tougher challenge awaits at a ground where the Panthers have won 33 of their past 37 matches.

"The guys understand what we are walking into. It's boisterous and it’s hostile and the crowd is right on top of you," Payten said on Friday.

"We’ve instructed our players to leave nothing in their tank. We know everyone has to play to a nine out of 10 level and everyone has to do their job.

"We’ve got some good characters in the group and they are pretty level from day to day so while I can be amped up inside, just being around those guys calms me.

"The way they go about their business calms the coaches and it has been that way for a couple of years now."

The hero of the nailbiting triumph in Townsville in June was fullback Scott Drinkwater, who has produced 25 try assists, 95 tackle breaks and is averaging 159 run metres per game in 2023.

Drinkwater's head-to-head battle with Clive Churchill Medal winner Dylan Edwards is one of many mouth-watering clashes in a game that features no fewer than nine State of Origin reps.

"We've seen how important Drinky is to us over the last two seasons now," Payten said.

"I like what he has done day in and day out at the club and that has transformed into performances on the field.

"What really matters will be the energy our team creates out on the field and that's from celebrating little wins and big wins throughout the match and keeping the communication lines across the team consistent.

"We've got to get our job done and then obviously we have to rely on tonight's match [Rabbitohs v Roosters] and the Sharks-Raiders but first things first and whatever will be, will be.

"When we win and when we play next week we will deserve to be there."