NOT GOOD ENOUGH McGuire smashes teammates in defence of coach

COWBOYS front rower Josh McGuire did not mince his words as he spoke about the side’s pathetic first-half performance last week, putting his under-pressure teammates on notice ahead of an important home clash against Newcastle.

“To go out there and not do your job, you are taking the piss really,” he said.

While North Queensland managed to fight back in the second half of the 36-20 loss at Campbelltown Sports Stadium, it was an atrocious firsthalf defensive display that had McGuire fired up.

And he refused to shirk any of the responsibility.

While many Cowboys fans have aimed their disappointment at Paul Green and the coaching staff, McGuire said it was the playing group who needed to wear the brunt of the frustrations.

“We were pretty filthy on ourselves … that was not an acceptable performance,” he said. “If you aren’t hurting as a player, you shouldn’t be playing this game.”

“We have let the people up here down, we let the club down, each other and the coaching staff. We have to turn up here and cop our medicine. The only way we can be better is getting out on the grass and not talking about it, just do it.

“(Greeny) is not the one out there kick pressuring, he is not the one tackling. At this club we get everything given to us.

“It is irresponsible to blame anyone other than the playing group. We know we need to be better. All the soft words you say in a meeting does not make it better. It is about those 80 minutes you play football.”

The Cowboys struggled to match the effort and intensity of the Tigers over the opening 40 minutes as they leaked six unanswered tries.

While they were missing a fair chunk of the club’s leadership group, including captain Michael Morgan, Jordan McLean, John Asiata and superstar recruit Valentine Holmes, McGuire said no excuse could account for the side’s performance.

Green said the club would go on a soul-searching mission this week with frank conversations between the playing group and coaching staff.

But McGuire said it would take more than a few sessions of “singing kumbaya”.

“We know that we haven’t been good enough. We have not been good enough for a few years now,” McGuire said.

“You can have all the excuses you want, all the injuries, but 17 guys go out on the field and if you don’t do your job you need to be accountable.

“All the old boys and the people in the stands, the people at home, the members of this club have every right to question us as a playing group.

“The things we are lacking is not a skill-based thing, it is an energy and effort thing.”

The Cowboys will have the opportunity to let those actions speak loudly when they return to Queensland Country Bank Stadium on Saturday to host a high-flying Newcastle Knights.

With 2000 of the Cowboys faithful in the stands, there will be no better incentive for the North Queensland club to turn their form around and make a statement that they still belong in the premiership conversation.

IT IS IRRESPONSIBLE TO BLAME ANYONE OTHER THAN THE PLAYING GROUP. WE KNOW WE NEED TO BE BETTER. ALL THE SOFT WORDS YOU SAY IN A MEETING DOES NOT MAKE IT BETTER.