Finally, the pressure is off North Queensland co-captain Johnathan Thurston.

Not that the Cowboys playmaker is taking it easy ahead of their knockout NRL semi-final with Manly at Allianz Stadium on Friday night.

However, Thurston reckons he has at last found a perfect foil for him in the halves - and from the most unlikely of candidates.

At the start of the season, Michael Morgan was considered North Queensland's No 3 halfback choice behind ex-Wests Tigers playmaker Robert Lui and Ray Thompson.

Now with the Cowboys in sight of their first grand final since 2005, Morgan has not only grabbed the No 7 jersey but made it his own.

North Queensland were reeling when Lui copped a season-long ban after being placed on a two-year good behaviour bond and fined $2000 in April for assaulting his girlfriend - a suspension the Cowboys unsuccessfully challenged.

And the halfback position appeared cursed when Thompson went down with shoulder problems - an injury that continues to trouble him.

But it has hardly been a poisoned chalice for Morgan who has revelled at halfback - much to Thurston's relief.

Suddenly the Test pivot has not had to shoulder the burden as the Cowboys "main man" - indeed he has been fighting to keep the limelight after Morgan's remarkable three-try effort against the Broncos last weekend.

Not that Thurston is complaining.

"He has taken a bit of pressure off me and Mango (fullback Matt Bowen) - we've got a good mix in the halves now," Thurston said on Wednesday.

"His confidence has grown over the last month or so. He knows he is in the team for a reason.

But Thurston believed the true test lay ahead for Morgan in the finals after announcing his arrival with the hat-trick in their 33-16 elimination final victory over the Broncos.

"No doubt when you are playing good footy teams target you," Thurston said.

"Especially when you are playing in the halves.

"And his form has been great for us in the last six-to-eight weeks - no doubt they will be keeping a close eye on him."

The Cowboys are sweating on the fitness of veteran hooker Aaron Payne but Thurston believed the elimination final win had shown they already have an ideal replacement.

While raving about Morgan, Thurston was just as impressed with James Segeyaro who came off the bench to slot in at No.9 after Payne (knee) lasted just 11 minutes against Brisbane.

"We had a few boys who had not experienced finals football before that game but I thought James Segeyaro did a wonderful job and Michael Morgan was outstanding," he said.

"We are still waiting on Payney.

"He has been an integral part of this club for a number of years.

"If we lose him it is going to be a big loss.

"But in saying that James Segeyaro did a great job for us on the weekend."

- AAP