KEY POINTS:
The Warriors cannot use the predicted 27C heat, or the travel, as excuses if they are beaten in their last-chance finals game in Townsville on Sunday.
The Cowboys haven't played an NRL game there during daylight hours since 2002.
Nathan Fien, their former hooker, said yesterday the Cowboys'
training routine was to avoid the heat, doing field work early or in the evening and gym work during the day - though they would undoubtedly change that routine this week.
Fien declared: "We're in the semis now and we can't say we lost because of the heat."
Townsville-bred Micheal Luck was speaking to his mum at 6am Aussie time yesterday "and it was pretty warm already. We've got two days to get used to it".
Bench hooker George Gatis is from Townsville, halfback Grant Rovelli from Mackay - so the Warriors players will have plenty of local knowledge and advice on offer.
They dismissed talk from Eels captain Nathan Cayless that the heat could kill their game.
The Warriors played pre-season trials against the Cowboys in Mackay in March, and in Cairns last year, and are therefore well-versed in the need for rehydrating.
Skipper Steve Price was more concerned about improving the completion rate, saying: "If it's hot, we don't want to be tackling like we were the other night."
There have been a number of focus points in the review of last week's hugely disappointing loss to Parramatta. One is to maintain the defence, which had pleased captain, coach and team. Two is limiting errors. The belief is the players will be less nervous in their second finals game.
Other concerns are better service from dummy-half and better support play.
There has been no castigation of individuals for their mistakes, Price said. "I don't think anyone let us down, every individual made a mistake.
"It's highlighted more because it's a more important game."
Ivan Cleary yesterday named the team beaten by the Eels, bar wing Patrick Ah Van, who the coach admitted he had perhaps selected in error last weekend because Ah Van has been carrying a hamstring strain.
"Maybe we put a bit much pressure on him," Cleary said.
Tony Martin comes back after playing his last NRL game in June. He then suffered a rib injury.
Logan Swann, who copped the brunt of the backlash, is relegated to the bench - but Cleary said that was recognition of the effort from Wairangi Koopu who starts. "Wai deserves his reward. He's been playing really well for us off the bench and has earned the chance to have a start."
The Cowboys seem more than likely to lose State of Origin prop/secondrower Carl Webb after he limped off during the win over the Bulldogs and was later diagnosed with a calf tear. He has been undergoing intensive treatment and was named yesterday - but is a only remote starting chance.
The Cowboys pack may contain just one regular - hooker Aaron Payne, though he is responsible for putting their forwards on the roll that allows Johnathan Thurston and Matt Bowen to weave their backline magic.
The forwards are well down in experience, with test player Luke O'Donnell, Steve Southern and Shane Tronc out of their pack due to injury, and Sione Faumuina is suspended.
Cowboys coach Graham Murray has put three players on standby for Webb: John Frith, 22, son of the Souths player of the 1980s, has had just one NRL game. The others yet to make their NRL debut - Scott Bolton, 20, and former Aucklander Ben Vaeau, 24, who played for Otahuhu.
The Cowboys have won 12 of their 29 daytime games and lost the two they played this season, 34-14 to the Warriors in Auckland and 20-14 to Souths in Sydney.
They do have a formidable record at home, though, winning eight of 12 there this season. But the teams that beat them - the Rabbitohs, Storm, Panthers and Broncos - all employ large, mobile and physical forward packs. So do the Warriors.
Shayne Hayne was yesterday named as ref for the Eels-Dogs game and Tony Archer will whistle the Cowboys-Warriors match. There will be two video referees for each game, Bill Harrigan and Chris Ward at Sydney and Phil Cooley and Tim Mander in Townsville.
