Retired NRL journeyman Michael Ennis has taken aim at the North Queensland Cowboys’ “atrocious” defence, saying he thinks coach Paul Green is starting to second guess the struggling NRL side’s approach.

Last year’s grand finalists were tipped by many to storm to the title this season on the back of Johnathan Thurston and Matt Scott’s return from injury.

Instead they wallow in equal last, above Parramatta only on for-and-against after losing six of their last seven and on Saturday copping their first home defeat to the Raiders since 2006.

Five-eighth Morgan’s faltering combination with Thurston has come under the microscope, with Green moving the incumbent Queensland and Australian playmaker to fullback late in the loss to the Raiders.

In danger of missing the eight for the first time in Green’s tenure, Ennis believes the newly-re-signed coach is starting to feel the heat.

“I feel like they’re starting to second guess their game plan and Paul Green is starting to second guess that when he moved Michael Morgan on the weekend,” Ennis told Fox League’s Big League Wrap.

“He’s (Morgan) a shadow of himself at the moment … some of the Cowboys’ (efforts) on their own tryline the other night, which Morgan was involved in, were atrocious.”

Souths forward Sam Burgess believes there is too much class in the Cowboys squad to write them off.

“You can change your attitude … in a day, it’s down to the team and being willing to do that,” he said.

“You need to grab a hold of it as quickly as you can before the season gets away from you.”

But former NSW Origin hooker Ennis isn’t so optimistic.

“Everyone was gloating that this was the greatest forward pack in the competition and they’ve been anything but,” he said.

“It looks like a love triangle … (fullback) Lachlan Coote doesn’t know where to go (to Thurston or Morgan), they’re all second guessing themselves.”