Sporting reindeer antlers, Cowboys skipper Johnathan Thurston revealed his two Christmas-New Year wishes on Wednesday.

"A bit of finals footy would be nice and injury free, so Santa can you please help me," Thurston said at the NRL Players' Charity Christmas Party.

Rugby league's best halfback will start his quest for both next week when he begins pre-season training for a new-look North Queensland after overcoming foot and ankle injuries.

Thurston will have 15 new teammates in Townsville after a club cleanout following the Cowboys' disastrous 2010 when they lost more matches than any other team in the competition.

Despite having his captaincy criticised and club's culture questioned, the star playmaker was confident the changes would fix their problems and spark a return to finals action for the first time since 2007.

"We can't do any worse," Thurston said in Brisbane.

"We've made a lot of changes within the organisation and it's been a breath of fresh air.

"I'm very confident with the changes made and training's been great and I'm just really looking forward to what 2011 holds.

"We haven't died wondering that's for sure. We're trying to improve the club inside and out and now it's up to us to put the wins on the board."

Relieved to have kept the captaincy after being arrested on a public nuisance charge in September, Thurston said choosing to fully recover from his injuries rather than play in the Four Nations showed his desire to transform his club.

"I haven't had a pre-season in so long, I think I did the right thing for my body and definitely did the right thing by the club not to play the Four Nations," he said.

"There's 15 or 16 new faces in the playing squad and those new faces need to know what our playing values are and the culture of the club and it's importance to north Queensland."

The Cowboys want young talents Ray Thompson and Michael Morgan to form strong partnerships with Thurston after failing to snare Roosters skipper Braith Anasta.

Thurston backed the pair to rise to the challenge but was also hopeful the Cowboys could lure another match-winner.

"We've still got a bit of money in the cap there to get a quality player to the club," he said.

"We're a bit skinny in the halves, we've got young Ray Thompson who is training very well and Michael Morgan as well, but we're (also) a front-rower away and we're looking in the market in those positions."

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