NORTH Queensland halfback Johnathan Thurston looked a broken man following his sides’ insipid display in their 20-14 loss to the lowly Eels.

The loss in Darwin all but ends the Cowboys hopes of making the finals and Thurston was crushed in the post match press conference.

“It’s pretty frustrating,” Thurston said.

Round 20

“We are putting ourselves in positions to get points, but it’s a little bit tough when you keep turning the ball over.

“Mentally we are trying to go for the kill straight away, instead of trying to build a bit of pressure.

“We start playing the scoreboard, instead of getting through our sets and just trying to build pressure.”

LIVE Stream every game of every round of the 2018 NRL Telstra Premiership on FOX SPORTS. SIGN UP NOW >

The Cowboys completed only 23 of 40 sets against the Eels, for a woeful completion rate of 58 per cent and had 26 missed tackles and 20 errors, in an appalling display of skills.

Thurston as he always does tried his heart out, but like the team things are just not coming off for the Cowboys legend like they have in previous seasons.

Thurston was scathing of his teams effort with the ball in hand, as they squandered a mountain of possession against the Eels.

“It’s all mental and we need to get to the bottom of it,” Thurston said.

“Those are the answers we need to find out and it is just basic footy.

“Catch and pass, catch the ball first before you pass, that would be nice.

“Play the ball, it is stuff you are taught as a kid and we were very ordinary in that aspect tonight.”

The Cowboys now need to win nine of their remaining 10 games to have any chance of making the finals in Thurston’s final season before retiring.

Get the ultimate NRL experience on your phone with the new FOX LEAGUE App. Download it NOW for FREE on iOS and Android!