A defiant Todd Payten says he "couldn't give a rat's" about external pressure that is mounting after North Queensland's poor start to the NRL season.
The fifth-year coach said he was in a better place mentally than last season, when his critics found full voice as the Cowboys slumped from semi-finalists to 12th on the ladder.
But lose Sunday's first home game against rebuilding Gold Coast and the Cowboys could finish a weekend last on the ladder for the first time since 2018.
Payten is focused on the game's importance for the Cowboys' season, rather than for his coaching future.
"I'm well aware of the noise and what it means, but focus is here on the group and the players themselves," he said.
"I’m big enough, old enough, ugly enough to understand what it means. It's not pleasant in the meantime, but it is what it is."
Payten insisted he was feeling supported amid the turbulent times.
"Look, I'm in a far better place at the moment, you know. Struggled at times last year, admittedly, and the support around here at the moment is terrific," he said.
"I don't feel isolated. The pressure that I feel is internally on my own shoulders around what we're doing. Whatever's said outside the building, I couldn’t give a rat's."
The Cowboys began the season with a loss to reigning wooden spooners Newcastle in Las Vegas, before struggling defensively in a 44-16 thrashing from Wests Tigers.
In one particularly poor moment, fullback Scott Drinkwater stood on the tryline and watched as Tigers half Adam Doueihi flopped out of a tackle and scored at his feet.
Payten said it was natural for fans to be frustrated.
"It's understandable after the last weekend, and that's what I love about our club and our supporters," he said.
"They'll tell you how they feel and they'll be cheering and cheering loud for us on the weekend, and we’ll give them something to cheer about."
Payten has kept largely the same team sheet after last week's loss, with Reuben Cotter's return from a personal matter pushing Matt Lodge to the reserves.
The coach would not address the possibility of making a last-minute change to omit out-of-sorts Drinkwater, who played on despite a rib injury last week.
"We don't have to name our team until an hour before kick-off and I don't want to give the opposition an understanding of what we're doing," Payten said.
