Jason Taumalolo

Taumalolo will seek further medical advice before deciding the appropriate course of treatment but the club expects the Tongan wrecking ball to spend up to a month on the sidelines.

Former Warrior Lachlan Burr and back-rower Shane Wright have been included in the reserves for the Saturday's clash with the Dragons and will come into calculations to replace Taumalolo.

It's capped a delicate week for Taumalolo, who was publicly questioned by Cowboys coach Todd Payten following a sub-par performance against the Panthers in round one.

Payten - who made his mark last year as the Warriors' interim head coach - criticised Taumalolo's lack of defensive pressure in the Cowboys' first round defeat to Penrith.

Taumalolo - a New Zealand-born Tonga test star on a 10-year deal at North Queensland worth $1 million a season - made 10 runs for 71 metres, but Payten felt his superstar middle forward should have put more pressure on Nathan Cleary's kick that led to a try for Isaah Yeo.

The sight of Taumalolo hobbling up the tunnel of McDonald Jones Stadium in the 53rd minute would have sent shivers up the spines of all North Queensland Cowboys fans.

He only managed 41 metres in his 32 minutes on the field in Sunday's 12-0 loss to the Knights, which is far below his usual standards.

In the round seven 32-30 win over the Knights in Townsville, Taumalolo ran for 297 metres in his 70 minutes input.

"It's a calf injury but I'm not sure of the severity. It's a fresh injury – he had no niggle coming into the game," said Cowboys coach Josh Hannay.

Thurston won everything there is to win in the game in his illustrious career with both the Cowboys and the Bulldogs, cementing his status as one of the legends of the game with his 2015 premiership win.

In the Channel Nine survey, Thurston, the  Cowboys and Queensland legend, placed ahead of Andrew Johns and Cameron Smith, while Darren Lockyer, Billy Slater, Brad Fittler, Greg Inglis, Cooper Cronk, Taumalolo and Laurie Daley rounded out the top 10.

Taumalolo was rated the "most destructive'' player in NRL history, outpointing former Brisbane Broncos great Gorden Tallis.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that promoter Paul Langi Kinikini wants to cough up the cash to bring the two mega stars to Utah.

The city has a large Tonga population and if it gets approved by international chiefs would be played in Salt Lake City.

League authorities would be wise to examine the fallout from the Kiwis vs England Test in Denver in 2018, which saw both the New Zealand and English federations out of pocket following Jason Moore’s failed event.

But Kinikini told The Sydney Morning Herald he didn’t have an issue with paying the cash up front.

The former Kiwis star and Cronulla's Andrew Fifita have led a Tongan player revolt, threatening to boycott next month's World Cup Nines and the end of year tests against Great Britain and Australia after coach Kristian Woolf was sacked.

The players want Tongan Rugby League chairman George Koloamatangi and secretary William Edwards ousted and Woolf reinstated after Frank Endacott was named as their new coach.

Taumalolo says it is always overwhelming to see such support and they are looking forward to seeing the same turn out as the last one.

“It’s obviously hard to put in words. I guess the feeling does not become overwhelming until you take the field. So to be there alongside a crowd wearing red all around and singing the national anthem that’s when it really hits,” he said in an interview with NRL.com

Taumalolo said whenever fans sing a hymn or cheer that gives the boys a lift.

The $10 million man had a previous best game of 283 running metres, set in Round 15 of the 2017 season against Melbourne.

On a rainy Saturday night in front of a home crowd, he smashed his own record, steamrolling St George Illawarra for a total 301 metres according to Fox Sports Lab.

Taumalolo surpassed his own 283-metre record with 12 minutes still to play in the game. It took him 20 carries to do it, which took him to 287 metres for the night. He then had one more to crack the triple century.

Cowboys skipper Michael Morgan put it simply.

The 24-year-old Cowboys powerhouse has told NRL.com that he has the support and encouragement of star halfback Johnathan Thurston to increase his offloads this season and create more second phase play for the side's attacking stars.

"Most people when they watch me play always see the destructive side, and think that all I can do is break tackles or run over someone," Taumalolo told NRL.com.

"Trying to find a pass would be nice and trying to play a bit of second phase also, so it would be great if I could develop that part of my game.

Days out from the Kiwis' squad being named for the tournament, Taumalolo made the shock decision to pledge allegiance to Tonga rather than his country of birth, neglecting to inform New Zealand officials along the way, leading to accusations of cowardice from both Kidwell and Kiwis captain Adam Blair.

But following Saturday's historic 28-22 victory over New Zealand, Taumalolo revealed regret at the way the situation played out.

"I definitely could have handled it a lot better to be honest, that was probably the biggest [regret]," Taumalolo said.