AFTER a tough loss to the Canberra Raiders, Lachlan Coote and the North Queensland Cowboys will receive no reprieve from pressure as the club must brace to take on the St George-Illawarra Dragons this weekend.
The former Windsor Wolves junior scored a first-half try against the Raiders, but there were few other enjoyable moments for him and his team mates, as the Raiders ran up the score with a composed performance.
Coote’s try came not long after the Raiders’ second. He backed up Te Maire Martin who broke the line and put Coote over near the posts.
Despite him getting on the scoreboard, Cowboys coach Paul Green threatened that veteran players might find themselves in reserve grade, given the Cowboys’ season long struggles.
"You've got to keep competing... we've never been known to give up and we're not going to give up now," Green said.
"It's getting the balance right between playing to win each week but also maybe looking towards next year a little bit in terms of giving some young guys some opportunities.
"But we've still got seven games to go so we're going to make sure we're in all of those."
The Cowboys will host the third-placed Dragons on Saturday night.
Meanwhile, injured Penrith Panther and fellow former Windsor junior Reagan Campbell-Gillard is still recovering after breaking his jaw earlier in the season.
He is aiming for a round 21 return, and recently started eating solid food again.
The Panthers play the Broncos in Brisbane on Friday.