Stone blamed the shock 22-12 defeat at Ausgrid Stadium on a lack of ball security and the Knights’ testing recent schedule, but he also had a shot at his team’s attitude against a team missing Kangaroos half Johnathan Thurston.
“We lacked respect for the ball and maybe the opposition too,” Stone said.
“It was very disappointing to be honest, they turned up with the right sort of effort.”
The loss meant the Knights stayed in sixth place but slipped to six points adrift of the fifth-placed Brisbane Broncos.
“The past few weeks have taken it out of us, perhaps there was a bit of us beating ourselves,” Stone said.
“We had our chances to win, we made enough chances but we didn’t take them.”
Stone revealed Kurt Gidley was doubtful for Sunday’s clash with Manly due to a grade one hamstring tear.
“At this stage I’d say he’d be doubtful, it’s the same as the one he had before Origin,” Stone said.
North Queensland coach Neil Henry paid tribute to his team – which remained in fourth place – for winning without their talismanic halfback.
“It was a gutsy win, they have got some dangerous players,” Henry said.
“It was a massive win for the boys, the pressure was on without John (Thurston), Aaron (Payne) and Tariq (Sims).
“Hats off to them, it’s a big win for the club.”
However, with the Dally M frontrunner out for at least another four weeks, Henry knows the Townsville-based club will have to keep producing to preserve their top-four status.
“We have got to protect where we are, we’ve got to stay in touch with that top four,” he said.
“It was a good win, it’s satisfying because we were at long odds to win the game but we stuck with it.”
Ex-Knight Corey Paterson, who scored the match-winning try on his Cowboys debut, was relaxed before his return to Newcastle.
“He was pretty relaxed beforehand, it was good to see him do well and be a handful,” Henry said.
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