The North Queensland Cowboys will not return to Townsville in between their upcoming two away games.
In a difficult part of the fixture list for the North Queensland-based side, a trip to Sydney where they will clash with four-time defending premiers the Penrith Panthers at Parramatta awaits in Round 5, before they head to Perth and clash with the South Sydney Rabbitohs in Round 6.
Head coach Todd Payten, speaking to North Queensland Cowboys club media, said the side will not return to Townsville, and detailed the plan for the week and a half on the road, with a couple of days off and plenty of training leading into the game against South Sydney.
"It's an important match this week. We are staying down in Sydney and then taking off to Perth on the Tuesday," Payten said.
"We go over and play South Sydney the following week, so it's a little bit of a road trip for the team.
"It's a review and recovery process on Saturday, Sunday is a day off, we train Monday, travel Tuesday, get over there, train again Wednesday, Thursday off, train again Friday, play Saturday and fly home Sunday.
"It just negates a fair bit of the travel coming back and going over again.
"It's important at this time of year to look after the players with our best prep. The club have got behind it and we are looking forward to spending some time together."
The Cowboys have used similar exercises in the past with multiple away games in a row, and seemed to finally work out playing away from home last season with a much improved record on previous campaigns.
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