NRL 2022: Todd Payten opens up on North Queensland rift talk and Cowboys future

Ahead of their opening game today, Cowboys coach Todd Payten says he will be ‘more conscious of what comes out of my mouth’ after a drama-filled start to his coaching reign in Townsville.

Cowboys coach Todd Payten and star forward Jason Taumalolo.

Todd Payten insists he has not lost faith in his ability and rubbished talk of dressing-room rifts as the Cowboys coach backed North Queensland’s young guns to be the surprise packets of this year’s NRL premiership.

Payten accepts he will be one of the most scrutinised figures in the NRL this season when his Cowboys side launches their 2022 campaign in Sunday’s clash against the Bulldogs at Queensland Country Bank Stadium.

If you listen to the whispers on NRL street corners, the Cowboys are seemingly a club in crisis.

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Bookmakers have kicked the Cowboys to the gutter, rating North Queensland and Wests Tigers as raging favourites to battle it out for the wooden spoon.

Payten has copped brickbats over his relationships with players, specifically the club’s highest-paid players Jason Taumalolo and Valentine Holmes, amid speculation another failed season in Townsville could trigger his demise.

Cowboys coach Todd Payten has dismissed rumblings of a rift with his star players. P

But as he prepares for the Cowboys’ season opener against Canterbury, Payten vowed to keep faith in himself — and his systems — as North Queensland confront one of the most critical campaigns in their history.

“It doesn’t sit well with me what happened last year,” Payten said. “I want us heading in a better direction.”

THE PRESSURE

Payten arrived at the Cowboys last year lauded as one of the rising stars of the NRL coaching ranks. He was so impressive in his job interview that club legend Johnathan Thurston rubber-stamped Payten’s selection.

But the Cowboys’ 2021 season was a nightmare. Payten managed just seven wins from 24 games as North Queensland crashed to second-last. The 2015 premiers have now missed the finals for four consecutive seasons. Payten, contracted until the end of 2023, is determined to stop the rot.

“I wouldn’t say I feel pressure, but I feel a responsibility to turn things around,” he says.

“I didn’t doubt myself last year, but I did question if I was giving them too much information and what we were doing at training.

“At the Warriors (his previous coaching stint), I had no family with me, so I could firmly focus on coaching, but last year was different, everyone wanted a piece of me.

“We got handed some tough lessons last year. In the NRL, you have to do the basics right or you get punished. That’s what I want to teach the group this year, to play the long game and stay in the fight.”

Interesting comments from Todd Payten in last night's press conference following his side's 24 point loss to Penrith, particularly those on Jason Taumalolo's role.

Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/bOfi2ceUo0

— NRL Boom Rookies (@NRLBoomRookies) March 14, 2021

THE REGRETS

Exactly 12 months ago, following a season-opening 24-0 loss to Penrith, Payten delivered one of the most explosive press conferences seen from an NRL coach.

Most mentors trot out vanilla, cliche-riddled responses. Not Payten. The former prop was critical of star Cowboys lock Taumalolo and admitted his job security was under threat if he didn’t manage the welfare of his $10 million man.

Payten’s candid critique triggered intense analysis of his relationship with Taumalolo. There were suggestions the pair had fallen out, which extended to Holmes, whose form fluctuated too wildly for a player of Queensland Origin material.

Payten says he regrets comments which put pressure on Jason Taumalolo (centre).

“I regret the pressure my comments put Jase and the club under,” said Payten, reflecting on his debut press conference as Cowboys coach.

“By nature, I am an honest guy and as a coach I try and be as authentic as I can.

“I don’t know if I will change a lot this year, but I will be more conscious of what comes out of my mouth.”

In the lead-up to the Bulldogs clash, respected Fox Sports commentator Michael Ennis said a key to the Cowboys’ success this year was how Payten managed relationships with his players.

Asked if there are rumblings at the club, Payten said: “Whatever has been said about that is not even close to the truth.

“If I give it any more energy, it’s going to keep going and that’s what I found out last year.

“For example, if I talked about Jase’s minutes, it would be in the media for another week or two. I am very comfortable with where I am at with Jase and every player in this organisation.”

THE ‘JT’ RIDDLE

Former Broncos skipper Corey Parker dropped a bombshell on the club a fortnight ago when he called for the Cowboys to release Taumalolo from his $1 million-a-season contract.

Taumalolo, by his rare standards, has been below-par over the past two seasons, but Payten launched a passionate defence of the 2016 Dally M Medallist.

“I can tell you now, we won’t be releasing Jase,” Payten said.

“People have to understand Jason had to start the season over four times last year. He broke his hand three times and had a two-week suspension, so it was frustrating for him.

“Jase’s minutes were not cut that dramatically last year, but all rugby league players play their best when they have continuity from a week-to-week point of view.

“The more games Jase plays in a row, the more time he will spend on the park. He has had a really strong pre-season. I am really excited about what lies ahead for him.”

Chad Townsend has added plenty of experience to the Cowboys.

Peta Hiku was another veteran to join North Queensland.

MENTAL AS ANYTHING

Payten believes his Cowboys squad lacked the mental fortitude to be a finals contender last season. After a 40-hour army camp at Tully in pre-season, Payten is adamant his class of 2022 has a tougher edge.

The recruitment of veterans Chad Townsend and Peta Hiku was designed to give the Cowboys some seasoned cool heads in the heat of battle.

“Where we are as a group, we needed to get stronger mentally,” the coach said.

“In pre-season, there’s been a deliberate attempt to put our players under physical and mental pressure … every day.

“The tempo of our army camp was split-up in one hour segments. You would do a physical task for 45 minutes and then have 15 minutes rest and then there was a problem-solving challenge.

“It wasn’t all about physical strength, it was about getting our younger guys thinking under fatigue and duress. The camp went for 40 hours, so there wasn’t a lot of sleep.

“We also kept them at training for long days. We wouldn’t inform the guys what we were doing on the park or in the gym. We threw curve balls at them.”

Tom Dearden’s confidence has soared.

SAVING DEARDEN

Payten has been blown away by the off-season evolution of young playmaker Tom Dearden, who celebrates his 21st birthday on Sunday when he runs out in the No. 6 jumper.

Dearden arrived at the Cowboys last May after a mid-season release from the Broncos. Cowboys insiders say the Australian Schoolboys prodigy was left a “broken man” by his turbulent two years at the Broncos.

“It was hard to see when he got here,” Payten said. “Tommy was gun-shy. He didn’t want to stuff up. Initially we just put our arms around him and tried to support him and work on building his confidence back up.

“Johnathan Thurston has been working with our halves and Tommy and Scotty Drinkwater just idolise him. I see the look in their eyes when he comes over and talks to them.

“Tom is a wonderful kid – I believe he has a huge future in the NRL.”

Heilum Luki is one of the young guns who will power the Cowboys future.

THE FUTURE

The Cowboys will unveil two of the code’s hottest back-row prospects against the Bulldogs in Heilum Luki, 20, and 18-year-old Jeremiah Nanai.

Payten says the club’s fresh production line of talent, headlined by fullback sensation Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, gives him confidence the Cowboys will not be whipping boys in 2022.

“Some of the things I see Heilum and Jeremiah do at training, I have to pinch myself to remind me how young they still are,” he said.

“We have been trying to educate our young guys as quickly as possible in the last six months and their attitude and effort has been really consistent.

“Things will have to fall our way this season but from a training sense, I can’t fault the attitude.

“I believe the finals is a genuine target this year, absolutely. The only limitations are the decisions we make on the field.

“If we can grow in that area, we are very capable of surprising people and challenging for the top eight.”

Originally published as NRL 2022: Todd Payten opens up on North Queensland rift talk and Cowboys future