Pressure will continue to build on Todd Payten, but the Cowboys showed signs of life as they came up short against a Payne Haas-inspired Broncos side 26-16 at Suncorp Stadium on Friday evening.
While the loss condemns North Queensland to a 0-3 start to the season, this was a far more spirited showing from the Cowboys after two concerning performances to open 2025.
The Cowboys had the better chances of the two teams early in Friday's game, with 20 tackles inside Brisbane's 20-metre zone compared to just one for the hosts.
But Todd Payten's side were unable to convert those scoring opportunities into points, unlike the Broncos, who went ahead 6-0 in the 22nd minute after Jack Gosiewski pounced on an Adam Reynolds grubber.
Brisbane had been struggling for yardage before a Reece Walsh 40/20 set Michael Maguire's men up in scoring territory and it didn't take long for the Cowboys to gift the Broncos more chances to extend their lead as errors started to pile up.
The Broncos weren't at their best when it came to executing on those opportunities though, but the pressure eventually led to more points as Reynolds put Gehamat Shibasaki through a gaping hole and then later in the set dummied and ran past a tired John Bateman to score, making it 12-0 at halftime.
It was a demoralising first half for the Cowboys considering the field position they enjoyed earlier in the game, but instead of folding North Queensland scored on its opening set of the second period.
The Cowboys came out with plenty of intent and marched up the field before Jesse Arthars failed to come down with a Jake Clifford bomb, with Sam McIntyre on the spot to pick up the scraps and find Griffin Neame in support for the try.
That reduced the deficit to 12-6 and then a Murray Taulagi try in the 54th
minute levelled the game up with 25 minutes left.
But just as the Cowboys looked to be on the verge of taking the lead for the first time in the game, Brisbane hit straight back through Jesse Arthars in the 60th
minute go ahead again by a converted try.
Haas then capped off an impressive individual performance with a stunning solo try in the 72nd minute to seal the win, exploding with the pace off the mark of an outside back to score.
A Jaxson Purdue try helped keep the scoreline respectable for North Queensland.
The Broncos face the Dolphins next week while the Cowboys host the Raiders.