'No more relying on Johnathan Thurston,' says new North Queensland Cowboys coach Paul Green

NEW Cowboys coach Paul Green is keen to extract the best from young gun Jason Taumalolo as he looks to alleviate pressure on the other "JT".

Johnathan Thurston makes a break for the Cowboys. Picture: Gregg Porteous

NEW Cowboys coach Paul Green is keen to extract the best from young gun Jason Taumalolo as he looks to alleviate pressure on North Queensland's other "JT", Maroons sensation Johnathan Thurston.

Currently involved in the Roosters' Grand Final build-up, Green on Wednesday outlined his blueprint to help the Cowboys clinch a maiden title after nearly two decades of fruitless toil.

Among his objectives are cultivating the next wave of talent, headed by Taumalolo, ensuring the playing group supports Thurston and bridging the gap in the club's performance levels.

Ever pragmatic, Green accepts he will be under pressure from day one to break the club's premiership hoodoo.

Since their 1995 inception, the Cowboys have made the grand final just once, losing the 2005 decider to the Wests Tigers, but the rookie NRL coach says the club can do without grandiose talk of premierships and top-four finishes.

“I'm not shying away from the fact that I've gone there to be successful, but last year I don't think the talk about top-four and grand finals helped them at all,” Green said.

“A realistic goal for me is that we play to our potential consistently. If we can do that as a group, that stuff with finishes on the ladder will look after itself ... if we are prepared to work hard and stick together, good things will come eventually.”

North Queensland will enter a new era on dual fronts next season. Aside from Green's arrival, the squad will be without favourite son Matt Bowen, the fullback genius who won countless games on the back of his lethal partnership with Thurston.

For too long the Cowboys have been accused of relying too heavily on the pair and without Bowen, who has joined Wigan, the playmaking heat will only amplify for Thurston.

Green, himself a former Origin playmaker, understands the pressures confronting Thurston and will challenge the squad to adopt a collective performance attitude.

“We can't just sit back and rely on the big names like JT,” he said.

“We have some wonderful players.

“It's important everyone understands that to get yourself in a position to play in a grand final or win a comp, everyone has to work hard.

“The Cowboys showed this year that on their day they can match it with anyone and they finished off the year showing what they are capable of.

"But the first thing is getting some consistency in how we play.”

Green, who rates Wayne Bennett among his most valued mentors, is also relishing the prospect of working with the club's emerging talent.

At the forefront is Taumalolo, the 110kg forward who is rated as talented as Sonny Bill Williams but has struggled to cement a regular NRL berth.

“There is a lot of upside in young guys like Taumalolo so it's about realising their potential,” he said.

“I am looking forward to working with Test guys like Thurston, Matt Scott, James Tamou and Brent Tate, but I'm equally excited about working with some of the younger guys coming through like Taumalolo, Tariq Sims, Wayne Ulugia and Kyle Feldt.

“I am not too worried if people say I'm a rookie. There are plenty of people who want to tell you why you can't achieve something, but it's about working out how you achieve some success and that's what I'm looking to do at the Cowboys.”