KEY POINTS:
Cowboys 48
Warriors 20
The Warriors' troublesome trips to Townsville continue, with centre Jerome Ropati who left the field with minutes remaining in the thrashing by the Cowboys yesterday ruled out for several weeks with a hamstring tear.
Ropati was returning after two weeks out with an ankle injury and played strongly in a team that was performing reasonably well to halftime when down 22-14, before collapsing in the second 40.
Coach Ivan Cleary rubbished suggestions it was travel fatigue that overtook them in the second half. "We did everything right in preparation. Obviously it's mental, we have to come up with some answers.
"Leadership is definitely a concern," Cleary said. "Steve Price and Wade McKinnon are two of our strong leaders and we're missing them. Away from home, when we lose our way it's not being addressed. We need to be more resilient when things aren't going exactly to plan."
This week, they just had to work hard and get tougher as they prepare to face the Titans, who upset neighbours Brisbane 26-24 on the Gold Coast on Saturday. The Titans are unbeaten at their new home Skilled Park this year and are attracting big crowds, a full house of 27,176 on Saturday.
And next Sunday, for the third week running, the Warriors have to contain one of the game's top players. Titans halfback Scott Prince had a hand in four of their five tries against the Broncos as he pushes for a place in the test side to play New Zealand on May 9.
On Saturday night, it was Cowboys half and Kangaroos incumbent Johnathan Thurston who tore the Warriors apart. That was despite his suffering a virus that was serious enough to have the club fly Travis Burns down from Mackay to warm up with the team as a ready replacement.
He spent the day in bed with swollen glands and a headache. "I had something to eat about five o'clock and felt all right," Thurston said after driving the Cowboys to their third consecutive victory. "I was pretty fatigued. I was blowing a bit."
So that wasn't his best but it was enough for Cleary to describe Thurston and fullback Matt Bowen who returned after knee injury to score three tries as "on another planet".
"Thurston's one of the best players in the world and he played great and when you don't bring your best game against those guys that's what happens," he said of the scoreline.
The aim all week had been to put themselves in a position to win, at halftime that remained the aim and they believed they were capable of it, Cleary said. "Complete some sets, build some pressure, but we couldn't get that right and the defence was leaky. We're just not good enough at the moment."
The players were very disappointed in the outcome. "It's not the most fun place in the world being in the sheds afterwards."
They had to pick themselves up. "The great thing is we have another opportunity next weekend."
Right wing Patrick Ah Van suffered a neck injury and is in doubt for the Gold Coast trip.
Ropati's replacement is sure to be Ryan Shortland who filled in for him last time with distinction and also played outstandingly for feeder team the Auckland Vulcans as they held off Cronulla Cobras 33-30 in Auckland on Saturday.
Not so good in the Vulcans side was wing Michael Crockett, though play did not run his way much. The other Warriors backline member Aidan Kirk had a very in-and-out day at fullback.
Cowboys and Kangaroos lock Luke O'Donnell left the field in Townsville with a hip flexor injury that puts him out of contention for the Anzac test.
