Johnathan Thurston has questioned the Parramatta Eels’ decision not to travel up to Townsville until the day before their preliminary final against the North Queensland Cowboys.
The Eels will take on the Cowboys on Friday night at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, with the winner to move through to the NRL Grand Final.
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But Thurston, who led the Cowboys to their first ever premiership in 2015, was surprised the Eels didn’t go up to Townsville earlier in the week to acclimatise to the warmer weather and humid conditions.
“They’re well and truly here for a hit and run mission,” Thurston said on Channel 9’s 100% Footy this week.
“Just get the game done, and get the win and get out of here — I would have been bringing the team up (earlier) to try and acclimatise.”
“The days are hot, and it’s a humid night as well.
“They will struggle, and we’ve seen that in Darwin when the boys played at the start of the year against each other, but the Parramatta side are a totally different side to that game.”
“Playing in Townsville, you’re used to the travel — that’s what you’ve got to do when you live up here.”
The temperature is expected to reach a maximum of 31 degrees on Friday and Thurston believes the Cowboys should try to exploit Parramatta’s unfamiliarity with the conditions.
“It’s going to play a massive role in the outcome of the game — if I was the Cowboys I’d certainly be keeping the ball in play as much as possible,” he said.
“The humidity factor is what makes it a lot harder, it makes the ball a lot slipperier as well. “That’s where all the errors can come from, with good contact under the ball.”
The Cowboys have had a week off after they defeated Cronulla in a 93-minute golden point epic in the first week of the finals series.
Parramatta lost to Penrith in their qualifying final but bounced back with a 40-4 win over the Canberra Raiders to keep their premiership hopes alive.
The Eels are aiming to make their first Grand Final since 2009.
Reigning premiers Penrith will take on South Sydney in the other preliminary final in Sydney on Saturday.
