The Cowboys have reached ‘panic stations’. A huge call on an Origin star has come back to haunt them

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Broncos legend Darren Lockyer stated it was virtually approaching “panic stations” for the Cowboys forward of an important match towards the Warriors in New Zealand on Saturday.

“At the start of the year, I think there was a little bit of complacency, a bit of a hangover from last year and the World Cup,” he stated on Nine’s QLDER this week.

“Now I think they’ve lost a bit of their confidence because they haven’t been winning footy games and they’ve forgotten the winning habits that you need to win games.

”It in all probability is attending to panic stations.”

It echoed an identical sentiment raised by Matty Johns late final month after the Cowboys slumped to a 14-point loss to the Warriors in Round 3.

“The Cowboys have got some real problems as far as attitude is concerned,” Johns stated on SEN 1170 The Round Up.

“I would say 75 percent of their energy is exerted on attack, they’ve got little focus on defence.

“All the most important areas to win a football game, they’re considerably worse than last year.”

League legend Billy Moore, talking on NRL360, additionally put the blowtorch on the Cowboys’ defence.

“The biggest difference from last year and this year’s number is their defence,” he stated.

“Last year they were conceding 15 points a game and this year they are conceding 22.

“They have one of the worst defences in the comp. They probably aren’t dominating the middle as much as they were last year.”

Moore, nevertheless, stated he believed the Cowboys have been one massive efficiency away from turning issues round.

“They are just off at the moment. I think they are one game away from getting it right,” he stated.

“This weekend is a crucial game they are going across the ditch against the Warriors. This, I reckon, is almost a must win for them if they are going to hsow they can turn it around.”

The Cowboys’ baffling begin to the season has been made all of the extra evident when in comparison with the early success of the Dolphins underneath Wayne Bennett.

The good type of former Cowboys star Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, who haunted his former membership in a scintillating two-try show in Round 6, has additionally been not possible to disregard.

Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow has emerged as one of many main fullbacks within the sport and is now within the combine for State of Origin choice prompting questions on why the Cowboys let him go.

Lockyer, nevertheless, stated it was the suitable choice on the time.

“You had (Scott) Drinkwater, who was having a fantastic season, Taulagi and Feldt on the wings, Val Holmes,” Lockyer stated on QLDER.

“He (Tabuai-Fidow) played centre at the Origin level once and did a good job.

“In hindsight, they’ve obviously lost a good player and at the moment he’s going better than Drinkwater, (but) you can’t keep them all.

“I think Hammer would’ve preferred to play fullback rather than centre, so he saw an opportunity, he’s taken it and he’s been outstanding, so credit to him. But for the Cowboys, I don’t think he had any other decision.”

Payten, in the meantime, stated Tabuai-Fidow’s type got here as no shock.

“I made a decision on Hammer based on his words and actions around the back end of last year,” he stated after the Cowboys loss to the Dolphins.

“I’m not disappointed or bitter about him playing well.

“He’s a nice kid and he left here a better person and better footballer. The Dolphins are reaping the rewards from some of our hard work and his application.”