Warriors score seven tries to overwhelm Cowboys

The Warriors are building serious momentum in the NRL after their 42-12 dismantling of the North Queensland Cowboys made it three wins from their last three.

Fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and centre Rocco Berry both bagged doubles in the seven-try display in Townsville which ended the Cowboys' own winning streak - which had stood at three.

North Queensland is usually a notoriously difficult place to visit, but the Warriors took control from the outset against opponents whose performance might have been hampered by several players backing up from the midweek State of Origin match.

By contrast, the Warriors were coming off a bye and welcomed back a slew of formerly injured players.

It showed in the opening 20 minutes as they raced in for three tries, including the opener to the impressive Nicoll-Klokstad.

The lively fullback also scored a spectacular final try, when winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak batted the ball back into the in-goal area after it had bounced over the dead ball line.

Warriors coach Andrew Webster was delighted with his team's ruthless approach.

"We came here with plenty of confidence. We knew if we did what we wanted to do we would get what we wanted," he said.

"The boys were great. I thought the boys were really disciplined and smart, I just loved how ruthless we were early."

Cowboys counterpart Todd Payten - a former Warriors head coach - admitted his players were on the back foot from the outset.

"I just thought our energy was down to be fair, we started poorly," he said.

"We gave the opposition too many opportunities in our own end. I think it was 40-odd plays inside our 20 [that we gave the Warriors] and we made 80 or 90 more tackles across the game."

The Warriors move past the Cowboys on the standings to 10th place, heading into a home match next week against the Melbourne Storm.