The Cowboys face an uphill battle to win back-to-back titles, writes Darren Lockyer

THE Cowboys will need every strand of Johnathan Thurston’s competitive DNA to celebrate back-to-back titles this season, writes Darren Lockyer.

"END OF YEAR 2015" Johnathan Thurston holds on to the NRL Trophy after the Cowboys beat the Broncos in the 2015 NRL Grand Final at ANZ Stadium, Homebush. pic Mark Evans

THE Cowboys will need every strand of Johnathan Thurston’s competitive DNA to celebrate back-to-back titles this season.

There is a very good reason why no club since the inception of the NRL in 1998 has managed to pull off the premiership double.

Talent has never been the singular impediment. Wayne Bennett’s Broncos of 2006 could not manage it.

Craig Bellamy’s magnificent Storm juggernaut failed to do it twice, despite four successive grand-final appearances between 2006-09.

Trent Robinson’s Roosters have won the past three minor premierships but have just one trophy to record 36 months of dominance.

Michael Maguire’s magical Souths side, inspired by Greg Inglis, broke a 43-year premiership drought two years ago ... then crashed and burned without Sam Burgess last season.

These are the pages of history the Cowboys must overcome to set a new benchmark in the NRL age.

And while I’m not foolish enough to write off any side containing a four-time Dally M champion in Thurston, North Queensland face an uphill battle to maintain the rage in 2016.

Johnathan Thurston swamped by team mates after he kicked the field goal to win the 2015 Grand final. Pic Gregg Porteous

It will be fascinating to watch the mental application of the Cowboys when they run out to face a strife-torn Parramatta club tonight at Pirtek Stadium.

This is precisely the type of game that will examine North Queensland’s constitution this season.

The Eels, rocked by allegations of another salary-cap rort, are a club in crisis. They need to respond.

The Cowboys had a good first-up win at home last week, but embark on their first road trip to a ground where they have won just six of 20 games.

Physically, the Cowboys will fancy themselves to go all the way. Tactically, Paul Green is as shrewd as any coach in the code.

But the mental component is the Cowboys’ biggest challenge and their strength between the ears will largely dictate their success this season.

The great paradox of winning titles is that with the injection of self-belief comes the drop in desire that can cost you a sudden-death game.

The shift in attitude is largely intangible, almost imperceptible, but it only takes a minute decay in passion and performance to bring a premiership defence crashing down.

I’ve always believed that no matter what you say internally about having the hunger to go back-to-back, subconsciously it’s very difficult.

The reality is you have worked so hard collectively to achieve the ultimate prize. Then you conquer it.

Now you must rise again. Every week. Every team wants to bring you down. It’s hard to have the same desire to go all the way when you have already scaled the summit.

With Thurston at the wheel, I still expect the Cowboys to be a top-four team. But they shouldn’t feel pressure to dominate the league. Coach Green just needs a commitment from his team defensively this season and their attack will look after itself.

Originally published as The Cowboys face an uphill battle to win back-to-back titles, writes Darren Lockyer