Cowboys chief executive Peter Parr has warned players dogging it during the club's remaining seven games of a horrendous NRL season will be "weeded out" and dealt with.

North Queensland faces a long two months before closing the door on a season devastated by a horrific injury toll which claimed representative stars Johnathan Thurston (knee), Matt Bowen (knee) and Jacob Lillyman (shoulder).

Forward Luke O'Donnell is also missing due to a seven-match suspension that will sideline him until round 21.

The spate of injuries has contributed significantly to a club-record losing streak which could blow out to 12 against a desperate Eels at Parramatta Stadium this weekend.

Sitting four points behind the second-last placed Bulldogs, the Cowboys have little motivation to negotiate the rest of the season other than avoiding their first wooden spoon since 2000.

But Parr said today every player would be expected to give 100 per cent in every game until the final minute of the round 26 clash with the Sharks.

Forward Greg Eastwood says Brisbane will react to coach Wayne Bennett's stinging "spray" with a high octane performance against Cronulla at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.

"The Bulldogs loss was a kick in the arse for us and another poor (second half) performance last Friday night was a stab in the back," said the Kiwi international who has upped his workload in a bid to get fitter for the finals.

"It's really sunk in to the players.

"It was pretty dull around the place after Wayne's spray.

"It's sunk in for the boys and today's training was really good, the intensity was awesome.

"Sometimes you need a rocket to stop you getting too cocky."

Idle or not, Bennett's post match blast and threats of wielding the axe after a sloppy win over the Cowboys last week has had the desired affect, Eastwood revealing the forwards had met this week to address their form and intensity.

Manly skipper Matt Orford is desperate to return for Sunday's blockbuster with the Sydney Roosters but won't put the club's fight for the NRL minor premiership ahead of his own long-term fitness.

Orford failed a late fitness test prior to last Friday's win over Parramatta and will be required to prove himself yet again before he can tackle the fourth-placed Roosters at the Sydney Football Stadium.

He resumed light training at Narrabeen today and is keen to play his part in continuing the Sea Eagles' seven-game winning streak, but won't do so if there's a risk of re-injury.

"The (competition) is so tight and the club is going great at the moment and there's motivation from every player to want to be part of that," said Orford.

"(But) it is up to the medical staff. If they say there's still a chance of tearing it and being out for four weeks I won't be stupid about things."

Manly sit two points and a significant points differential clear of reigning premiers Melbourne atop the NRL ladder with Cronulla and the Roosters rounding out the top four.

A win over the Roosters this weekend would virtually assure a top four placing and home semi-final, but Orford insists Manly haven't even considered what it would mean to capture the minor premiership.