Todd Payten has gone back to basics and told North Queensland players they must fix up their errors if they are to arrest their mid-season form slump.
Sunday's clash with the last-placed Gold Coast looms as crucial in North Queensland's year, with the Cowboys in a freefall after entering the round in 12th place on the NRL standings.
Payten's men have won just one of their past seven matches, letting in an average of 36 points per game and inviting pressure on themselves with errors in yardage.
North Queensland have completed at above 75 per cent just twice in those seven games, while letting in 100 points in the past fortnight alone.
Payten said he had made a point to not focus much on the Titans this week, instead putting it on his players to get their own house in order.
"It seems like the more we talk about it the more it keeps happening," Payten said.
"We burrow down on fundamentals, do some extra work at the start of training and individual stuff at the end of training.
"It's about the individual, it's their responsibility when they have the ball, and concentration.
"This week it's been less information, just more around effort areas. And not a lot of vision. It's narrowing down on us rather than the opposition."
North Queensland suffered a late double blow on Saturday, with Jordan McLean (calf) and John Bateman (groin) both ruled out.
Payten has recalled Jake Clifford to partner Tom Dearden in the halves on Sunday, moving Jaxon Purdue back to right centre.
The Cowboys won only one of five since Purdue's move to the halves last month, but Payten suggested the switch back to centre was to fix issues out wide.
Clifford is off contact at the end of this year, but won four of seven games and had one draw when partnered with Dearden in the halves earlier this year.
"I want him to kick well and defend well," Payten said of Clifford.
"It's a very similar message week to week with our halves, and we know he can do both of those well."
Meanwhile, Gold Coast coach Des Hasler has dropped noted try-scorer Alofiana Khan-Pereira after he was beaten in the air last week against Parramatta.
Brian Kelly has come back into the Titans side, after being dropped last week.
