Queensland rugby league great Darren Lockyer says Cowboys back-rower Coen Hess' inability to live up to the hype has been the result of not having a stable halves pairing in the side following the departure of club great Johnathan Thurston.
Hess, 24, was considered to be one of the game's brightest edge forwards coming through following a standout 2017 season, where he was an instrumental piece in the Cowboys' shock grand final appearance that year.
The 114kg big-man, who notched 13 tries that season while averaging 108 running metres per game, was even rewarded for his efforts when he was called into the Maroons side that year for his Origin debut.
However, Hess' production has dropped significantly, with the back-rower unable to build on the momentum he had in 2017, scoring just 11 tries since that season.
According to Lockyer, Hess has been the victim of an unstable halves pairing in the Cowboys' side following the departure of Thurston, who retired at the end of 2018.
Since Thurston's departure, the Cowboys have had a dreaded run with injuries, with playmaker Michael Morgan in and out of the side, while young guns Jake Clifford and Scott Drinkwater have squared off for the right to be his long-term halves partner at the expense of consistency.
Lockyer said Hess' struggles will only continue until the club cements the two playmaker spots, with the back-rower unable to perform at his best until he works on combinations with the half controlling his edge.
"He played his best football when Johnathan Thurston was in the team," Lockyer told Wide World of Sports' QLDER.
"They were very dynamic on the edges – Michael Morgan was in great form, great touch.
"I think when you play on the edges, having those combinations with your edge halves is vital to your own performance and getting that understanding.
"I think, maybe because Morgan has been in and out of the team with injuries, you've got Scott Drinkwater, who's spent time in the halves, and then you've got Jake Clifford – I think it's just putting down who the No.6 and No.7 is and then working on those combinations."
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