EXCLUSIVE: Legends baffled by Cowboys coach's team changes after 'shocking' two rounds

A host of league legends have questioned North Queensland coach Todd Payten's team changes amid a "shocking" run of form.

The Cowboys have conceded 78 points in their first two rounds of the NRL season, in big losses to the Sea Eagles and Sharks.

It doesn't get much easier for the team, which travels south to Brisbane on Friday night to take on a wounded Broncos side looking to bounce back from a shock loss to the Raiders.

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Payten responded to the team's big round one loss by axing international and Origin backrower Jeremiah Nanai.

The Kangaroos star has been recalled for round three, but Phil Gould can't understand the strategy from Payten.

"I would say axing is a last resort for any player, or any coach. You don't really want to do it," Gould told Wide World of Sports' Six Tackles with Gus.

"Jeremiah Nanai has had defensive deficiencies for some time... everyone's known he's still got defensive deficiencies, the way he reads the play and goes into contact.

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"Whether or not he's worked hard enough on that, whether or not they have identified it, whether they were working past it because he's so good in attack or because he's on big money.

"Sometimes they put them on big contracts and think they don't have to coach them anymore, think they should know it all... they don't.

"Has Jeremiah Naniai learned anything by being dropped for a week? You mean to tell me he's been dropped for a week and all of a sudden he's going to be a good defender? That's not going to happen."

Brad Fittler agreed it seemed a strange decision to dump Nanai after one loss.

"I don't know if it was the time to make a stance on someone," Fittler told Nine's Freddy and the Eighth.

"Sometimes you look at their team and they look unnoticeable."

This week Payten swung the axe again, this time collecting rookie halfback Tom Duffy.

Duffy beat the more experienced Jake Clifford to the starting side in the first two rounds, but now makes way for his teammate.

Broncos legend Darren Lockyer questioned that selection given the major issue with the Cowboys is their defence.

"The players aren't trusting each other and they're leaking too many points. Defence is the issue... does (Clifford) fix the defensive issue? I don't think so, it's a team thing," Lockyer told QLDER this week.

Fellow Queensland icon Wally Lewis, who is normally reserved in his assessment, was not shy in take a stick to the Cowboys after their 36-12 loss to the Sharks in Townsville.

"Poor individual efforts and poor team effort," he told QLDER.

"It really was quite shocking. It leaves you a little bit gobsmacked."