Three-time premiership-winner Laurie Daley believes the North Queensland Cowboys are vulnerable at home in their preliminary final against the Parramatta Eels this Friday night.

Daley, a former Australian captain, said the Eels could not go into their shell against the high-flying Cowboys who received a week off after beating Cronulla in golden point on the opening weekend of the playoffs.

“Just keeping playing – just keeping playing football,” Daley said of Parramatta on Sky Racing’s Big Sports Breakfast.

“Don’t get into a negative mindset at all. They’ve just got to stay positive for the full eighty minutes and just trust what they have been able to deliver on when they play well and that is to play this [attacking] brand of football.”

The Eels have not won a premiership since 1986 and it’s their first grand final qualifier since 2009.