But serious premiership contenders? It's not a tag that has come up a lot for the Cowboys.
However for those inside the club, it was never out of the question.
And what are they doing in this finals series is based off that inner confidence that they can go all the way.
Now the rest of the rugby league world is seeing that too.
First the Sharks, now the Eels have fallen at the hands of Paul Green's ultimate underdogs.
Will the Roosters be next?
After Saturday night's performance, it seems very possible.
There could be no end to this Cowboys juggernaut, which has been built on self belief and the desire to prove the doubters wrong.
Coach Paul Green said beating those odds was the most enjoyable part of the last two weeks.
"I'm really enjoying seeing what the players have been through and finally get a bit of a reward for the effort," he said.
"What you see on the field now is a result of what we've been through the last couple of months.
"They've stuck to the task and been committed to it and are playing for each other. It shows out on the field.
"I was confident we would play well because our game had been slowly improving. If we played well I knew our game would worry Parramatta."
When asked if his side had the game style to also upset the Roosters, Green did not hesitate - "yes".
"We've got some smart players, some physical players, we can mix it with most teams or just about any team," he said.
Parramatta fans left ANZ Stadium in droves at the 75th minute of Saturday night's match, when Michael Morgan - this week declared the next King in the North by Johnathan Thurston - barrelled towards the line to seal the deal for the Cowboys.
It was the final blow in a second half that was all about North Queensland.
The Eels did not score until the dying seconds of the second stanza, after John Asiata nabbed the first try of his NRL career in the 45th minute before Coen Hess (52nd minute) and Morgan added to the scoreboard.
The Cowboys were cool, calm and collected as they ran away with the victory.
Fortune did go Parramatta's way in the first half, after they scored two long-range tries to put the Cowboys behind on the scoreboard.
The first try came in the seventh minute when Semi Radradra ran 100m after snatching a Te Maire Martin kick from the air, while fullback Will Smith picked up a Michael Morgan grubber to go 90m to score in the 31st minute.
Despite going into the sheds down 10-6 at halftime, it was clear the Cowboys were putting the pressure on the Eels.
North Queensland was clinical in the first half, going into half-time with a 100 per cent completion rate.
They made just one error in the opening 40, which came when winger Antonio Winterstein was accidentally kneed in the ribs, causing him to drop the ball that he had just scooped up.
Green would have been pleased with their discipline in attack.
It was just a few missed opportunities that saw them trail Parramatta - but they certainly didn't miss those chances in the second half.
NORTH QUEENSLAND 24 (J Asiata K Feldt C Hess M Morgan tries E Lowe 4 goals) bt PARRAMATTA 16 (M Jennings S Radradra W Smith tries M Moses 2 goals) at ANZ Stadium.
Referee: Matt Cecchin, Ben Cummins.
Crowd: 41,287.
