Johnathan Thurston suffered a hamstring injury in the Cowboys' 36-0 NRL win over Canterbury on Thursday night.
The injury occurred when Thurston put in a grubber kick and couldn't accelerate.
## What happened?
The Cowboys opened up a 20-0 lead over the Bulldogs after 45 minutes before Thurston was forced to leave the field.
He didn't return, but was confident the injury wouldn't leave him sidelined for long.
## Why it matters for Johnathan Thurston
Thurston's injury could keep him out for around two weeks, but he's upbeat about his recovery.
The Cowboys' win consolidates their spot in the top four, while Canterbury's loss throws doubt on their premiership claims.
North Queensland's coach Paul Green said the win was their most-complete performance of the year.
## What comes next?
The Cowboys have a long turnaround before their next match, which could give Thurston time to recover.
Antonio Winterstein scored three tries for the home side, while Julian O'Neill scored two.
The Bulldogs completed at just 63 per cent, making a number of uncharacteristic errors in the North Queensland humidity.
The Cowboys have outscored opposition teams 303 to 108 in their unbeaten nine home matches in 2016.
Clive Churchill medallist Thurston told the Nine Network it was just a precaution and he should be right for next week.
The Bulldogs' coach Des Hasler was scathing of his side, saying they were dreadful and paid the price for poor execution.
The win was North Queensland's ninth consecutive home win, with the Cowboys yet to lose in Townsville this year.
The Cowboys' Jason Taumalolo laid a tremendous platform up front, helping his team to a dominant win.
The Bulldogs will look to bounce back from the loss, but it's a tough road ahead for the team.
The Cowboys' next match will be a crucial one, with Thurston's injury a major concern for the team.