Kieran Foran will become the first interim coach in 19 seasons to start his tenure with three consecutive wins if a resurgent Manly beat North Queensland.
Foran has overseen a rapid turnaround at the Sea Eagles, inspiring wins over the Dolphins and St George Illawarra following the 0-3 start that cost Anthony Seibold his job.
Another victory could lift ninth-placed Manly into the top eight for the first time this season, with Foran impressing the playing group on his start to life as a coach.
"Look at the way he played, he puts everything out there, and he does the same with coaching. He's that invested," said in-form second-rower Ben Trbojevic.
"He really motivates us."
Some 46 coaches have taken charge of a club midway through a season since the NRL era began in 1998, not counting assistants who stepped in when a regular head coach was briefly unavailable.
Only two interim coaches in that time have won their first three games: Brad Fittler at the Sydney Roosters in 2007 and Manly's Peter Sharp in 1999.
Since Fittler, Todd Payten, Brad Arthur and Cameron Ciraldo were among the 33 mid-year appointments who couldn't achieve what Foran would with a third-straight win on Thursday.
Both Fittler and Sharp would hold onto their positions into the year that followed their successful mid-season starts.
Fittler was appointed full-time coach for 2008, while Sharp took charge when Manly merged with North Sydney to form the Northern Eagles in 2000.
Brisbane assistant and Foran's old Manly teammate Matt Ballin is considered the front-runner to coach the Sea Eagles next year.
But if chairman Scott Penn and chief executive Jason King wanted to take a chance on Foran, they'd have some supporters in the playing group.
"I don't know whether that's going to happen or not, but if it does, then that's great for the club. He's obviously a great coach," said forward Corey Waddell.
"If he wants to take that role, I'm sure he'd do a great job like he is now."
The fact Foran played alongside several of Manly's current roster has proven crucial to his early success.
"I've played with him, so you don't want to let him down," said prop Taniela Paseka.
"If the opportunity comes, I think he'd be a great head coach (next year)."
A 3-0 start to Foran's tenure will mean defeating the Cowboys, who have seemingly overcome their own poor start to 2026.
North Queensland have won their past four games after pressure had been mounting on coach Payten in the opening fortnight.
"They're flying at the moment," said Manly hooker Jake Simpkin.
