North Queensland winger Murray Taulagi just has to walk through the streets of Townsville to be reminded of last year's Brisbane Magic Round heroics that put his name up in lights.

The 23-year-old also just has to look within to feel the pain that is driving him and his fellow Cowboys to go one step better in the NRL this year after they were beaten by Parramatta in last season's preliminary final at home.

On Friday night against Brisbane, Taulagi returns to Suncorp Stadium where he threw one of the great passes of the NRL era against Wests Tigers in 2022 while mid-air and one metre over the sideline.

Fullback Scott Drinkwater snaffled the ball to score.

Everyone knew who Murray Taulagi was after that. Benji Marshall said it was better than his own memorable flick pass in the 2005 grand final.

"Every time I walk around Townsville they still ask me how I did it. I still can't even explain it myself," Taulagi told AAP.

The ecstasy of that moment contrasted with the pain of falling one game short of the grand final.

"I don't think most of us have got over it considering how close we were. We are definitely going to use that for fuel this year," Taulagi said.

"Because it was my first year of finals you consider what you could have done better and if you could have done more. It is just making us hungrier.

"We are very hungry to play in a grand final. We know what we are capable of as a team and if we all can play our best footy a grand final is a possibility for us.

"A lot of us are coming off season-best years and my job was made easier by guys inside me like Val Holmes and Tommy Dearden who had cracker seasons. If we can replicate that it could be a good year."

Taulagi made his Queensland debut in State of Origin last year and represented Australia at the World Cup after scoring 17 tries for the Cowboys in a season where his speed, strength and skill featured.

He is of Samoan heritage and looks up to Penrith and Samoa winger Brian To'o.

"Brian sort of changed the way wingers play now," Taulagi said.

"He does a lot of work for his forward pack and is always looking for a carry to get his team out of yardage.

"He is probably the top tier winger at the moment and someone I want to play similar to and have that work ethic."