Fan-favourites’ futures revealed: Todd Payten updates on Coen Hess, Jake Granville contracts

Todd Payten revealed one of North Queensland’s most liked players is looking at overseas options for 2025. Catch up on the latest contract news coming out of Cowboys HQ.

Todd Payten’s Cowboys staff will meet with Coen Hess’ management this weekend in an attempt to keep the fan-favourite forward at the club.(Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

Todd Payten’s Cowboys staff will meet with Coen Hess’ management this weekend in an attempt to keep the fan-favourite forward at the club.

Hess is contracted until the end of the 2024 season but a devastating ACL injury will keep him sidelined until after finals.

With middle forwards Hess, Jordan McLean, Jamayne Taunoa-Brown, Thomas Mikaele and Jake Granville all off-contract at the end of this season, Payten said re-signing the popular player was a priority.

“I think about (middle forward succession planning) every day. We’re meeting Hessy’s manager over the weekend,” Payten said.

“I’d like to keep him around. As far as contract negotiations and progression planning and that sort of stuff, that’s something that we think about internally fortnightly, or at least talk about with our committee.”

Coen Hess and Jake Granville are two of the Cowboys’ longest serving current players. Pictured in January 2017. Picture: Wesley Monts

Since making his NRL debut in 2015 as a teenager, Hess went on to play in 162 of a possible 174 matches for the Cowboys – missing just 10 to injury and another two to suspension.

It’s not just the 27-year-old’s hard running and brick wall defence on the field that make him valuable, he is one of the team’s best players at putting pressure on the opposition kicker and kick chasing.

Since making his NRL debut in 2015 as a teenager, Hess went on to play in 162 of a possible 174 matches for the Cowboys – missing just 10 to injury and another two to suspension. Picture: Evan Morgan

Payten said he was also a much-loved character at sessions during the week.

“We’re definitely missing him on and off the field. He’s been around the group now for a couple of weeks since his surgery,” Payten said.

“He’s back in the building doing a lot of weights and we’re encouraging him to be around our team as much as possible, particularly when we’re out on the field.

“He kind of sits there and watches them and he’ll throw his two cents’ worth in and can rile up a couple of the boys which gets them laughing and the energy is pretty high.

“So he’s really important to us and he’s going to continue to be important to us even though he can’t contribute to the field.”

Payten also revealed that Jake Granville was looking at overseas options for next year as his days in Cowboys colours are numbered.

Jake Granville is exploring opportunities to move overseas next year. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

The Cowboys coach said Karl Lawton shaped as a like-for-like replacement for Granville.

“We looked at our broader squad and Jakey Granville is at the back end of his career,” Payten said.

“We spoke to Jake, say a month ago, and told him our intention – this (contract) is going to see him out and he knew that. We had that same discussion last year that he’s getting towards the end.

“He’s as honest as the day is long, he said he completely understood. He’s looking to possibly head overseas with his young family, so we knew that utility role backup hooker (would be left open) and Karl fits the bill perfectly.

“He’s that 14 on the bench … he’s a terrific kid and he’s almost like a clone of Jake: team first, tough, fit and enjoys his job.”

Originally published as Fan-favourites’ futures revealed: Todd Payten updates on Coen Hess, Jake Granville contracts