Sideline Sid Sports correspondent & historian www.sunlive.co.nz

Writing this on the balcony of their holiday apartment - which overlooks the top end of Bribie Island in Caloundra - continues the cinderella weather for Sideline Sid and his long suffering spouse, after arriving on the Sunshine Coast, from the Queensland far north.

Twenty-nine degrees have been replaced by the low twenties and a light nip in the air in early morning, with little thought given to Western Bay of Plenty residents shivering in the depths of winter.

New Zealand Warriors league fans can understand the pain that North Queensland Cowboys supporters are going through in the 2018 NRL season.

Last years NRL championship runner-up side sit anchored to the bottom of the standings, just one place of the wooden spoon.

What was supposed to be a tribute farewell to Cowboys legend Jonathan Thurston, who hangs up his boots at the end of the season, has turned into a nightmare.

Last Sunday - as the Western Bay travellers made the 16 hour overnight train trip from Townsville to the Sunny Coast - Cowboys fans journeyed on a four hour road-trip north to their second home base in Cairns, to give vocal support to their sides hopes of a playoff spot that hung by a thread.

The Courier Mail headlines on Monday said it all, with "Legend deserves a better farewell" stating that Jonathan Thurston's last season will end in tears.

Squaring off against the South Sydney Rabbitohs, the home fans were in a hopeful mood with the Cowboys leading 14-12 at the halftime break in play.

With six to go, the hosts were still in front 20-16 before a Rabbits touchdown levelled the score at 20 points apiece.

With the clock ticking down, a South Sydney snap drop-kick resulted in Souths grabbing the points on offer with a 21-20 win.

The Cowboys' pain is similar to that experienced by Warriors fans over the last couple of seasons.

Both sides carry the hopes of a country/region on their shoulders with the hurt compounding with each loss.

While the Cowboys entered the NRL championship cauldron after the Warriors, they have the symbol of NRL success showcased on the wall of the Cowboys League Club, after winning the 2015 NRL title.

The Cowboys have two jewels in their crown for the future, with the League Club headquarters located firmly in the middle of the CBD and a new state of the art stadium presently under construction.

Several visits to the Cowboys League Club revealed a terrific social atmosphere from which Cowboys fans have great gathering place for away games.

However, it's the new stadium just minutes walk from the cities CBD, that will put the Queensland far north city in the big league in Australian stadiums.

When the Cowboys were successful in their bid to enter a North Queensland side in the NRL in the early 2000's, their current stadium was built some way out of town.

Such has been the success of the NRL Queensland Far North franchise, that a new Cowboys playing base is being established in town surrounded by dining and entertainment outlets (take note Auckland and Tauranga).

This weekend petrol-head heaven arrives in Townsville with the cities 10th V8 Super Cars event with twenty thousand plus spectators expected in the events capital of the Sunshine State.