Jason Taumalolo asked to play Queensland Cup for Mackay and coach Todd Payten said it was as smart move.

The 2015 premiership-winning forward had off-season foot surgery and has only recently returned to full training.

He was named on an extended bench for Saturday night's clash with Cronulla but was not quite ready for the demands of the NRL.

Payten said he would play "two long stints" for the Cutters against Townsville Blackhawks on Sunday and would take his place in the Cowboys side for the away clash with Brisbane in round three.

"Talking to him he felt he needed another week to be NRL ready. He had the option of whether to train or play and he wants to play Q Cup," Payten said.

"I think it shows great awareness and honesty from him. He will be ready to go for us next week.

"I thought he was a fair way off the pace in his first two (training) sessions but his last two he has been there and thereabouts. From a personal and mental point of view he thought he was another week away.

"The demands of the the NRL are getting faster and faster and harder and harder and I don't want to set him up to fail. He needs to be best prepared between the ears, and physically, and that is where we are at."

Payten has a suite of Cowboys top-30 players in the Queensland Cup this weekend, including Maroons back-rower Jeremiah Nanai who was dropped for defensive deficiencies in the 42-12 loss to Manly in round one.

Nanai will play for Northern Pride in their clash with Tweed Heads in Cairns on Saturday.

"He was disappointed but understanding," Payten said of Nanai's response to the axe.

"I have been pretty clear with him about what I want to see this weekend to get his way back into the team."

Cowboys duo Zac Laybutt (centre) and Jake Clifford (half) will also both play for the Pride. Laybutt is on his way back from an ACL rupture while Clifford had a hernia operation in the pre-season and is also pushing for an NRL recall.

Payten said several players were "off the mark" last week and he wanted to see a change in the way they handled adversity."It is physical and mental and when you get punched in the face you have got to know how to respond," he said.

"Last week we got punched in the face a couple of times and lost the contact. Then after 10 or 15 minutes we punched ourself in the face with tackle five penalties and poor poise when we had opportunities in attack.

"We did everything we didn't want to do."