Matthew Johns: Todd Payten the first NRL coach under fire in 2025

There’s no doubt that North Queensland coach Todd Payten has what it takes to be a career coach - but with his immediate future in the hands of his players why would he make a blunder with the club’s talisman, writes Matty Johns.

• The freakish play that led to a grand final miracle

Todd Payten’s coaching career is in the hands of his players. Given North Queensland’s ball security of late, you can only imagine how nervous that makes him feel.

After Manly belted his Cowboys in Round 1, I said that Payten could not afford another flogging in coming weeks, given the pressure under which he had entered this season.

But Round 2 was more of the same.

Their opponents, Cronulla, ventured up to Townsville vulnerable. On their return from Las Vegas, Covid and influenza had torn through the squad. A long road trip to North Queensland, where they would endure intense heat and humidity, was the last thing this team needed.

The Cowboys have got used to standing in the in-goal area watching conversion attempts from opposition teams. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

More of the same in their Queensland derby against the Brisbane Broncos at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night and Payten’s coaching position will have shifted from under pressure to perilous.

Yet the Sharks took control of the match early and the Cowboys never looked headed for anything but defeat, losing 36-12.

PLAYERS DON’T GET THE MESSAGE

Payten made a big call, dropping key forward Jeremiah Nanai after a poor Round 1 effort, to try and get a rise out of the playing group.

It didn’t work.

Before the Sharks loss, Payten was asked what he was after from his team.

“I want them looking for collision,” was his reply.

Meaning scale back everything and let’s get out there and play tough, physical, power-based football.

The players obviously didn’t get the memo. In the history of the game there would be very, very few coaches who, at one point, haven’t stared at the bedroom ceiling and asked themselves “have I lost my players?”

I’d be surprised if Payten hasn’t posed himself that question each night this week.

Sharks winger Ronaldo Mulitalo runs in another try against the Cowboys in Round 2. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

CAREER COACH IN THE MAKING

Payten has proven he has the right stuff to be a career coach. He made a strong impression at the New Zealand Warriors when he took over as interim head coach. One player told me that until Payten coached him, he didn’t realise how little he knew about the game.

In his first season at the Cowboys, he took over a team at a low ebb and struggled to lift results.

However, with the knowledge acquired in that first year, he went to work on his players, both physically and mentally, before the 2022 season.

The Cowboys were fabulous that year. They presented themselves fit, focused and played the most entertaining style of football in the competition. But they were tough as well. That was the central factor in a season where they came within a whisker of a grand final appearance. Payten was an obvious standout choice as coach of the year.

I expected a title within the next two seasons from this young exciting team. They haven’t even come close. Last year’s finals appearance flattered their form and their inconsistencies.

Todd Payten has shown he’s a career coach in the making. Picture: Nikita McGuire

LEGENDS DON’T PLAY RESERVE GRADE

It’s hard to get a gauge on the relationship between Payten and his players. It clearly hasn’t been all smooth sailing over the last few years.

The Jason Taumalolo situation is an example. Payten, during a post-match press conference early in his Cowboys tenure, put all players on notice by publicly criticising Taumalolo’s effort on a particular play.

In essence, he may have had grounds, but to do that to a club legend, who’s done so much for that club, raised eyebrows, drew criticism and hurt their relationship.

Jason Taumalolo playing for the Mackay Cutters in Queensland Cup. Picture: Alix Sweeney

After overcoming a Lisfranc injury he suffered playing for Tonga in the Pacific Championships last November, Taumalolo returned to the field via Queensland Cup last week, playing for the Mackay Cutters.

I’m old school, but in my opinion, legends like Jason Taumalolo shouldn’t play reserve grade.

Players of the calibre and experience of Taumalolo don’t need to play lower grades to prove their fitness and capabilities.

He would have far better served in the top grade.

Even if Taumalolo was capable of only playing 25 minutes against the Sharks, it’s his presence and leadership which would have made a difference.

However, it was a selfless decision that the Cowboys say Taumalolo made himself last week.

Thankfully, after two weeks out of the 17-man squad, the coach, who desperately needs a result, has rightfully put Taumalolo back in the starting lineup.

THE DEFENCE RESTS

To recapture success, the Cowboys need to recapture the balance in their game. For the last two seasons they’ve poured energy into their attack, defence an afterthought.

If you had an honest conversation with teams and individual players in the NRL and asked them “which team do you fear the least?”, my guess is that the Cowboys would be close to top selection.

Fear is derived through defensive physicality and the Cowboys lack it. Some of rugby league’s greatest teams like the dogs of the 1980s, the Raiders of the 90s, the Storm and the great Penrith sides of the last five seasons, enjoyed defence. They loved it because they enjoy inflicting physical punishment on their opponents; they intimidated teams not from what they did with the football, but what they did without it.

Defence wins matches. Defence wins competitions. Because defence is desire. I hope for Todd Payten’s sake, the Cowboys demonstrate the necessary desire on Friday night.

Originally published as Matthew Johns: Todd Payten the first NRL coach under fire in 2025