Cowboys corner: Payten’s Panthers plan, North Queensland local Lily Peacock set for NRLW debut
Todd Payten was confident ahead of his side’s must-win clash with the Penrith Panthers while Ben Jeffries revealed a North Queensland teenager was set for her NRLW debut. Catch up now.
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The Cowboys will look to create their own on-field energy to combat the parochial Penrith crowd as North Queensland fights to keep its season alive on Saturday evening.
The Panthers’ home base at the foot of the Blue Mountains has become one of the toughest away trips in rugby league, in part due to the dominance of the team, but also thanks to the heaving crowd.
Cowboys coach Todd Payten said he wants his team to feed off their own successes during the game.
“What really matters is the energy our team creates out on the pitch and that’s from celebrating little wins and big wins throughout the match and keeping the communication lines across the team consistent,” Payten said.
“When we win, and when we play next week, we’ll deserve to be there. It will fill our boys with more confidence moving forward, so we’re going down there to play our best football.
“We need everyone to play nine out of tens, so everyone’s got to do their job. We’ve got a rotation worked out where the full bench will get utilised and we’ve instructed our players to leave nothing in the tank.
“No conserving energy at any stage and everyone’s going to get some big minutes and have got to get their job done.”
Queensland Maroons star Reuben Cotter said Coen Hess would again be one of the loudest voices on the field.
“We’ve had a big focus on creating our own energy and I thought last week we did a really good job of that,” Cotter said.
“Hessy is a big one for us. He’s always in there starting energy and we all bounce off each other so the more people that are positive and energetic, the better off our team is – at the end of the day it’s contagious amongst our group.”
Regardless of the fact the Brisbane Broncos failed to secure the minor premiership on Thursday night, Payten expected Penrith to run out a full-strength side.
“I just don’t see the point in why they would name everyone and not play them,” Payten said.
“I think coming off a loss and wanting a good performance without a five-eighth and build some combinations and confidence moving into the finals makes sense to me. So we expect a full tilt Penrith team.”
Payten hinted Penrith’s leaky left edge could have a busy night after Eels winger Maika Sivo scored four tries down the channel last week.
“We’ll be sending traffic at different parts of the line,” he said.
“Our best attacking edge is down our left, so we play to our strengths as much as we’d like to identify weaknesses in the opposition.”
PEACOCK SET FOR NRLW DEBUT
Mackay-born teenager Lily Peacock will make her NRLW debut on Saturday when she comes off the interchange against the St George Illawarra Dragons at Queensland Country Bank Stadium.
Peacock has featured for the Queensland Maroons under-19s and the Mackay Cutters in 2023, and Cowboys coach Ben Jeffries said the Proserpine Brahmans junior had worked hard to “jump the queue” to come into the side.
“She’s earned her debut, very similarly to Libby Surha who is unfortunately ruled out for the rest of the season,” Jeffries said.
“They’ve come here with no expectations on them, but they’ve grasped everything we’ve asked them to do and playing local football they really stood out.
“She came from the under19s Queensland Origin space this year too. So she’s jumped the queue, which is good, this is how we are at this club – if you compete and you show the good traits, you’ll get a chance.
“Her mother and father will be here (on Friday) to present her jersey to her and it should be a really good time for her.”
The Cowboys will be hard-pressed to match the Dragons on Saturday despite both sitting in the bottom half of the table.
Jeffries said he wanted his team to play the entire match with the same vigour that almost saw them surge over the Parramatta Eels during a late comeback attempt.
“They’re going to come here with energy and we’ve got to match it. We’re looking for a more complete performance,” Jeffries said.
“That’s pretty much been the message. How you’ve finished the game is how you should start the game, so we’re looking for energy tomorrow.
“First and foremost, if you play with energy the result will take care of itself.”
The Cowboys coach also revealed the versatile China Polata will play in the middle for the remainder of the season.
“China will just stay in the middle from here on in. That’s been the instructions from us and going forward that’s where she will stay for the rest of season,” he said.
“That’s where we see her future and now it’s about planning for the future.”
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Originally published as Cowboys corner: Payten’s Panthers plan, North Queensland local Lily Peacock set for NRLW debut
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