The Cowboys won their first NRL title with victory in the weekend-long tournament in Auckland last month, heightening expectations ahead of Green's first campaign at the helm in Townsville.

A round-1 win over Canberra got the Cowboys' campaign off to a good start but last weekend's heartbreaking loss to rival Brisbane prompted the question whether Green's men were struggling in the wake of their pre-season win.

``The Nines have been forgotten about,'' Green said.

``We're in the regular season and winning the Nines didn't put us on two points ahead of everyone else before the comp starts.

``We're into the week-in, week-out grind of the NRL now.'' 

The Cowboys face a Warriors outfit this weekend yet to win following their opening two matches of the season.

Green said while the Warriors have been disappointing in their two performances this season, he was far from taking them lightly.

``I'm sure they'd be disappointed with both their performances so far,'' he said.

``We'll be coming up against a desperate team and I'm sure [Warriors coach] Matty Elliott will have them fired up, prepared well and ready to go.'' 

In the ultimate sign of respect, the Broncos No. 5 jersey left behind by injured ex-Test winger Jharal Yow Yeh will be ``retired'' for tonight's NRL clash with Sydney Roosters at Suncorp Stadium.

But the player who has snapped up Brisbane's vacant No. 10 jumper - ex-Test prop Ben Hannant - may also have just as much impact on the blockbuster.

The Broncos initially planned to honour Yow Yeh with a lap of honour tonight after he finally succumbed to a horror 2012 ankle fracture and announced his retirement.

However, Brisbane confirmed on Tuesday it would also retire the No. 5 jersey he once wore for the night. Lachlan Maranta will wear No. 18 on Brisbane's wing.