Todd Payten eyes halves confirmation ‘as soon as possible’
“I’ve been pretty clear about our position as a club, we need an organising half and that’s the first piece of the puzzle with our recruitment.”
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North Queensland coach Todd Payten has remained tight lipped over the club’s pursuit of Chad Townsend, however he admits they are eager to lock down their 2022 halves pairing as soon as possible.
The Cowboys have been linked to a host of halfback options beyond this season, while Scott Drinkwater and Ben Hampton have held the fort for the past three weeks.
Both players are off contract at the end of 2021, while Jake Clifford is already on his way to Newcastle.
Payten confirmed he would seek to confirm the playmaking rebuild “as soon as possible”, and said all the likes of Drinkwater could do was “play good football to get a new contract; whether it’s here or somewhere else”.
While he said the external noise could have the potential to impact his players’ mindset, ultimately it was the nature of the beast they needed to adapt to.
“I think those guys that we have there at the moment understand this is how the game rolls,” Payten said.
“There’s a lot of speculation around our club in particular, I wouldn’t expect that to take their attention away from their own performance and if it does I’d be disappointed.
“I’ve been pretty clear about our position as a club, we need an organising half and that’s the first piece of the puzzle with our recruitment.
“We want that player to be a good person, we need him to be professional and we need him to have the ability to come in and teach our young halves and the rest of our squad how to play the game the right way.
“The more clarity we can get around what direction we’re heading in as a club the further the next pieces will fall into place.”
Payten has been able to name an unchanged line up for Saturday’s clash with the Canberra Raiders, however boom forward Tom Gilbert has been named in the extended 21-man squad.
Clifford, who starred for the Northern Pride against the Townsville Blackhawks has been selected in jersey 20, and the Cowboys mentor said if he continued to play in the same vein he would be close to returning to the fore.
Star lock Jason Taumalolo was not named as he recovers from another hand injury, although Payten said there was still a possibility he would be fit next week.
Mitchell Dunn remains on the bench after impressing in his comeback from injury, and Payten hinted he could continue to play the same role in the middle of the field which he took on against the Bulldogs.
He said there were enough positives from the back-to-back wins to build on, but they were still shooting themselves in the foot with errors which would not fly against the Raiders.
“It was food for thought, certainly as coaches we’ve had some conversations around it,” Payten said of Dunn’s role.
“He did a really good job through the middle, and is another point of difference – a bit of a ball playing role for us.
“When we get our game right it’s effective; in that first half we completed five from five and scored a try, in the second half we were 12 from 12 to start the half and scored three tries.
“It’s eliminating those mistakes, then obviously we have moments where we double and triple those mistakes up and that’s what’s really sapping our energy.”
COWBOYS TEAM vs CANBERRA RAIDERS
1. Valentine Holmes, 2. Kyle Feldt, 3. Justin O’Neill, 4. Connelly Lemuelu, 5. Murray Taulagi, 6. Scott Drinkwater, 7. Ben Hampton, 8. Coen Hess, 9. Reece Robson, 10. Jordan McLean (c), 11. Shane Wright, 12. Ben Condon, 13. Lachlan Burr, 14. Jake Granville, 15. Mitch Dunn, 16. Francis Molo, 17. Corey Jensen, 18. Esan Marsters, 19. Peter Hola, 20. Jake Clifford, 21. Tom Gilbert
Not laying down: Hampton fights to stay in Cowboys no. 7
IN his 107-game career, nothing has come easy for Ben Hampton.
The Mareeba product, who has been the Cowboys Mr Fix-It since arriving at the club in 2017, has had to work for everything he has got.
He was never the most gifted player in his group, he was never the fastest, the biggest or the strongest. But he always worked the hardest.
It is that mentality which is fuelling the 29-year-old’s fight to keep hold of the Cowboys halfback jersey.
It is Hampton’s first choice position, but one he has rarely played. Sunday’s win over the Bulldogs was only his third game wearing the number seven for the Cowboys, all of those coming under new coach Todd Payten.
“I have been looking for an opportunity like this for a while now. I am always looking to do what the coaches and the team needs me to do. I have always been that type of player,” he said.
“But to be able to train and play in the halves, where I want to be, I am really thankful to get that opportunity from the coaching staff at this club and I am going to do all I can to stay there and hold onto that spot.
“(Scott Drinkwater and I) are getting better, we are getting more confident with each other and we are learning how each other likes to play. I have said it a few times about combinations, you just have to work, work, work.
“Look at the combinations at this club in the past, they just worked together hard and knew each other’s game inside and out. That is what we are trying to build and create.”
Even with the looming proposition of the club signing a big name, big dollar halfback, it has not deterred Hampton’s fight. Instead, it has fuelled him.
He might not read the papers or listen to the radio, but even Hampton has heard the talk linking the Cowboys with big dollar plays for South Sydney champion Adam Reynolds.
While he would welcome a player of Reynolds experience to the club, the halfback wants to use his time steering the side to prove they don’t need to look outside the four walls.
“It does motivate me a lot, I am going to do all I can to get the club to look at me,” Hampton said.
“I love this club and I would do anything to stay here. I am going to fight for this position and fight for a contract, it has never come easy, so I am going to keep working hard and play hard.
“I would (welcome Reynolds here). He is a great player, look at what he is doing at the Rabbits and what he has done over his career. He is a great half.
“This is my third game in the halves in four or five years, and a guy like Adam coming up here and if I was lucky to stay here, I would learn from him as well. He is an organising half and has a great kicking game, he has all the skillsets I am working on myself. The way he manages a game and his fifth tackle options are out of this world. He is a great player, I would love having him up here.”
While Hampton might be deep in the fight for his career, there are areas the halfback needs to improve.
He struggled to find the right last tackle options against the Bulldogs, with a deft kick for Feldt’s first try a rare shining light off the boot, and coach Todd Payten openly criticised his halves pairing’s decision making in the second half as they were attempting to put the game to bed.
His defensive work has also come under scrutiny in recent weeks after the Cowboys right edge was torn apart by the Sharks a fortnight ago.
Hampton admitted the Cowboys as a whole needed improvement coming out of the Bulldogs win if they are to compete over a tough four-week stretch which includes games against the Raiders, a resurgent Warriors and a derby clash against the Broncos.
“We can be happy (with the win) but we also have a lot to work on. The last couple of weeks we have only played 40 minutes of footy,” he said.
“We started well in the first half and I thought we ended the game well. But it was that lapse in the middle, that half an hour in the middle where we are really struggling. Our mindset is just not right at the moment, it is what we need to work on.
“I don’t think it is fatigue, it is something to do with our attitude and mindset. We are all as strong and fit as we have been if you look at the numbers, but I think it is something in our attitude. We are not getting it right.”
Originally published as Todd Payten eyes halves confirmation ‘as soon as possible’
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