When Coen Hess is firing, North Queensland are humming, so it is no surprise the giant prop's recent impact off the bench has coincided with a three-game winning streak.
The 28-year-old returned this year from an ACL that ruled him out of the 2024 season, his first major injury.
The way the 171-gamer has lifted the side off the bench was epitomised by one of the tackles of the year when he smashed Nathan Cleary across the chest, dumping the Penrith playmaker to force a lost ball. It came late in the 20-18 win in Sydney when the Panthers were pressing the line.
Ahead of Saturday's home game against Gold Coast the Cowboys general manager of football Micheal Luck explained why Hess at his best meant good times for the side.
"You have got those players that are the yardstick of how your team is going to go and the barometer of how they are feeling and Coen is exactly that for us," Luck told AAP.
"He comes in bouncing around and his energy is infectious. He can lift the group up if you've had a tough travel schedule or lost games.
"That type of effort (in the Cleary tackle) is infectious and when he's doing that other guys will lift around him. He's hard to miss at six foot four, in pretty good shape and gets around loud and proud about it.
"When he is in the building you know about it and when he is on the field you know about it."
Hess, like his teammates, was slow out of the blocks this year but his quick return to form is a credit to his dedication after a tough 12 months.
"It was the first injury that he's had that had kept him out for more than a couple of weeks," Luck said.
"Some guys coming off a big knee reconstruction can take a season to throw themselves into a game the way he has the last couple of weeks. That has been great.
"As time goes on and he gets more match fitness under the belt he will bring those types of efforts for longer in games and will get back to being a starting front-rower and setting the tone for us early in the game."
Hess said the the side's start was not ideal, but the mood has changed around the club after three consecutive wins, followed by a bye.
"It takes a lot of pressure off the group and coaching staff and everyone in the whole building," he said.
"It was funny. If you lose three games in the middle of the year no-one really says anything but because we had the monkey on our back to start the year off everyone was playing a bit hesitant.
"We didn't lose any skill so it was a matter of working hard and it would turn. It did and now everyone is playing free and fresh."
