North Queensland Cowboys star Jaxon Purdue has revealed a changed attitude for coach Todd Payten has played a major role in the club's form shift over the last fortnight.
Purdue, who is off-contract at the end of the year and currently negotiating his future, has been in fine form over the last fortnight in the centres for North Queensland.
After starting the year with two straight losses, the Cowboys have managed to turn things around with back-to-back wins over the Gold Coast Titans and Melbourne Storm.
The home win over the Storm in particular has eased pressure on Payten, who was thought to be hanging by a thread for his job coming into the campaign.
Purdue said a relaxed Payten who isn't paying attention to the external noise has been behind the club's turnaround though.
“I think he's been really awesome this year,” he said on SEN'S Vossy's Verdict.
“He's come into this year with a whole different attitude.
“I really think that he did mean that he doesn't really look at the media or anything like that cause he's been really good with the boys and really good with our playing group, about staying calm and collective and just sticking together.
“I guess getting through all the tough stuff by doing it together. That's the only way out of it.
“I think last year, he sort of admitted to being a bit (stressed) and he didn't really like that.
“So, I think this year he's really brought a positive attitude. He's been really good towards us.”
While the Cowboys were somewhat expected to win against the similarly struggling Gold Coast, things weren't so expected against the Storm, with North Queensland mounting an excellent come from behind victory.
That leaves the Townsville-based outfit now looking for their first win in Sydney for the year when they clash with the zero and four St George Illawarra Dragons on Saturday evening.
If they can secure it, they will likely finish the weekend in the top eight, with the Cowboys suddenly on a far better trajectory than the majority of predictions would have suggested coming into the campaign.
