Parramatta coach Michael Hagan is adamant the players who have let him down so far this NRL season are the only ones who can rescue the Eels from playoff oblivion.

Hagan resisted the urge to wield the axe ahead of Friday night's must-win match-up with North Queensland, despite a three-game losing run which has seen the side lose touch with the top eight.

It's dire straits for the Eels, who are three points outside the top eight and needing to win five of their last seven matches to be any chance of playing finals football.

All this for a side tipped by many before the season to be the main challengers to Melbourne's premiership dominance.

Given they were afforded such lofty pre-season expectations has given Hagan the confidence that the players he has put his faith in already this season are still good enough to make a late run.

"You've also got to be confident in how you play and what you do, we think we've got enough good players here to get the job done," Hagan said.

"If we play to our ability hopefully we can turn our year around.

"I was critical of our team (against Manly) last week in the fact I thought we should have been further in front in the first half, we probably missed a couple of opportunities.

"I guess they're (North Queensland) working as hard as they can to turn their year around and we're in a very similar situation on Friday.

"I think both teams will be desperate and both teams should be given how they're travelling."

The only change from the side which started last week sees Kris Keating named at five-eighth in place of Mark Riddell.

Riddell had a mixed night in the unaccustomed pivot position, while his build-up to Friday night's game hasn't been helped by a virus which has limited his time on the training paddock.

Veteran backrower Nathan Hindmarsh dismissed claims the side was pre-occupied by their place on the ladder, and said their current losing streak hadn't been a topic of conversation out at Parramatta Stadium.

"I don't think there's any need to talk about it too much, we know the position we're in and that's pretty much it.

"We know we're not travelling all that well."

The Cowboys, who set a new club record for futility with their 11th straight loss last week, welcome back Test enforcer Carl Webb.

But they've been forced to field yet another halves combination with Anthony Watts (ankle) joining skipper Johnathan Thurston (knee) on the sidelines.

Sione Faumuina, normally a backrower, will now play five-eighth while former Manly pivot Travis Burns has been handed chief playmaking duties at halfback.

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