Scott Drinkwater provided the golden point heroics the last time the Cowboys faced off against the Panthers and he will need to be at his best again in a potentially season-defining clash on Saturday.
“I wish it wasn't do-or-die, but it's do-or-die,” Drinkwater said after the Cowboys defeated the Dolphins to keep their finals dream alive.
“I said before the game, our elimination finals started tonight against the Dolphins, so we got through one and now we have got to go to the foot of the mountains against the best team in the comp and it’s a big challenge ahead of us.
“We got through tonight and we’re obviously looking forward to a big game and hopefully, it brings out the best in all of us.”
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Needing to win against Penrith who will no doubt smarting from their upset loss last week against the Eels and hope other results go their way if they are to feature in this year’s finals, the Cowboys fullback said their approach to the game this week would not change from their focus in recent weeks, given every game has felt like a must-win to keep in touch with the eight.
“We had a good run there and then the Titans game probably ruined our momentum a little bit and I think we started worrying about winning a game rather than just trusting the process,” Drinkwater said.
“(So) we spoke about, don't worry about the result, just trust our game plan, trust our process and that's what we were doing early on, in that last little run.
All try assists from Dolphins v Cowboys
“We had just been getting out there and trusting our process and I think the most of it just comes down to having fun, just take the weight off your shoulders and just go out there and play footy.
“You can't win every game and, you can't be perfect every game.
“We've learnt that and I think (tonight against the Dolphins) we just went out there and had a bit of fun and, training-wise (during the week) was great, everyone was dialled in and it’s the same for the game next week, just go out there and have fun and just make sure everyone has a crack.
“Make sure we can walk off the field and everyone knows they put their best foot forward. Penrith, they're a great team, so if everyone can go out there, have a crack and, we will see what the result is after that.”
Drinkwater himself has found top form this season, with outputs that saw him earn selection in the extended New South Wales State of Origin squad earlier this year.
Against the Dolphins last week, he scored a try, kicked five goals, produced a try assist, four line break assists and five tackle breaks and said his good form coincided with him having a new focus off the field, having recently become a father.
Scott Drinkwater is having a season
“I have grown up a little bit … we had a daughter, a little baby girl and life off field settled me down a lot,” Drinkwater said.
“I've just been having a routine outside of footy and having a life and something to motivate me other than footy.
“Everything was just ‘footy, footy, footy’ for me, and now I’ve got other things to worry about and that’s probably relaxed me a little bit, so I guess not thinking about footy fulltime.
“I'm a footy nerd, I love it, I almost watch every game and my missus hates it; but at the moment, I'm trying to get away from it a little bit at times and just focus on family life now, which probably helped me a fair bit.
“(The Cowboys) signing me for a four-year extension (last year), obviously made me feel like Toddy [coach Todd Payten] had confidence in me and what I can do and the playing group backed me to play my style of footy as well.
“I am not always going to come up with the right play and I'll live with that and that's how I play the game, I just think I've gotten better at making better decisions more often.”