North Queensland Cowboys set up camp in Sydney as they vie for NRL top four spot

THE Cowboys will shift their entire camp to the city they used to hate, Sydney, as sheriff Paul Green attempts to lasso a top four spot.

TOWNSVILLE, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 09: Johnathan Thurston of the Cowboys runs the ball during the round 22 NRL match between the North Queensland Cowboys and the Wests Tigers at 1300SMILES Stadium on August 9, 2014 in Townsville, Australia. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

THE Cowboys will shift their entire camp to the city they used to hate, Sydney, as sheriff Paul Green attempts to lasso a top four finals position.

The Courier-Mail can reveal North Queensland will bunker down in the city that has cursed their premiership dreams as they acclimatise to a region they will spend most of September in.

The Cowboys will even spend two nights in Cronulla, the shire where their finals campaign ended amid controversy last season.

The Cowboys’ road trip is through necessity.

Johnathan Thurston on the attack against the Tigers.

They play the third placed Penrith Panthers next Monday night in Penrith then face the second placed South Sydney Rabbitohs on Saturday night at ANZ Stadium just five days later.

It is a horror week for the club on paper, but if they emerge even with one win, it will be deemed a success.

The Cowboys plan on spending two nights in Parramatta, two nights in Cronulla and the remainder of their Sydney camp in Homebush.

Coach Paul Green plans to minimise travel fatigue by setting up camp in Brisbane. Picture: Zak Simmonds

“We’ve just got to finalise training venues but I think we are going to stay down there in between,” coach Green said.

“It’s just less travel for us, so physically it’s the best preparation for us.

“You treat it like a mini-camp so to speak and it’s a good timing for us leading into a couple of home games leading into the semis.

“That’s how we’re going to approach it.”

North Queensland sit in fourth position following their 64-6 thrashing of a woeful Wests Tigers team.

The Cowboys were the NRL’s worst travelling team earlier this season before they beat Cronulla and Canterbury back to back.

Green said there never was an away hoodoo and their losses outside Townsville often coincided with injuries and State of Origin.

“I don’t think playing away was ever a problem, I think it was more about the team,” Green said.

“It was right in the period of Origin and we lost by two against Parra who are a pretty good side.

“It certainly gave us confidence getting those back to back wins but it’s more about the team we were playing with at that stage.

“Playing away doesn’t worry us now.”

The Cowboys have won four games in a row and are tied on 26 competition points with the Sydney Roosters, who play Gold Coast on Monday night, New Zealand Warriors, Melbourne Storm, Canterbury and Parramatta.

Originally published as North Queensland Cowboys set up camp in Sydney as they vie for NRL top four spot