NRL 2024: North Queensland Cowboys reject talk of Jason Taumalolo being on the outer

North Queensland coach Todd Payten has lashed out at the NRL rumour mill claiming those spreading talk that Jason Taumalolo would leave the club were peddling agendas over the truth.

Cowboys coach Todd Payten has slammed speculation deposed co-captain Jason Taumalolo is on the outer, declaring the leaner and meaner Tongan Test star is primed to hit back as an NRL force this season.

Payten insists Taumalolo will not be shown the door by the club following revelations new St George Illawarra coach Shane Flanagan launched a secret poaching bid for the Cowboys’ $10 million man.

Payten dropped a bombshell a fortnight ago, axing Taumalolo and Chad Townsend as co-captains in favour of Queensland Origin young guns Tom Dearden and Reuben Cotter for North Queensland’s 2024 campaign.

The decision came three years after Payten first promoted Taumalolo to the co-captaincy alongside Michael Morgan, indicating it was only a matter of time before the champion forward became the sole sheriff in Townsville.

(L-R) Jason Taumalolo and coach Todd Payten. Picture: NRL Imagery

But since his leadership rise, Taumalolo has endured a turbulent tenure in the tropics. The 252-game wrecking ball has battled hand and knee injuries, with the Cowboys’ fairytale preliminary-final charge in 2022 bookended by gut-wrenching finishes of 15th (2021) and 11th last season.

Sensing Taumalolo could benefit from a fresh start, Flanagan made furtive inquiries recently to lure the Cowboys life member to the Dragons’ den, only to be shut down by the forward’s management.

Taumalolo’s club-record 10-year deal with the Cowboys expires at the end of 2027 and Payten made it clear his matchwinning lock is not for sale.

It is understood ‘JT’ will start the premiership at 113kg - his best shape in a decade.

“I kind of expected this stuff,” Payten said of the Taumalolo transfer talk in the wake of his captaincy call.

“I knew this narrative would happen (Taumalolo being offloaded by the Cowboys) once the call was made.

“It is predictable and somewhat amusing really.

“But I can assure you of this - Jason will not be at any other club.

“That won’t happen on my watch. He is happy here and staying here. Whoever is pushing this agenda is off the mark.

“It’s laughable to be honest.”

Payten insists there is no bad blood between (L-R) Jason Taumalolo and Reuben Cotter. Picture: Evan Morgan

There is a view Taumalolo is charting a downward trajectory after the highs of his premiership win in 2015 and Dally M dominance 12 months later.

At his zenith, the Tongan torpedo was the best forward in the game. In the Cowboys’ grand final year of 2017, he ran for a whopping 5348 metres at a remarkable 205m per game - the greatest output by a forward in NRL history.

But last season, Taumalolo, plagued by a knee cartilage issue that required surgery, managed just 2293 metres at 143m per game. It was his worst yardage data in a decade.

Entering his 15th NRL campaign in 2024, Taumalolo turns 31 in May. There are concerns whether he can see out his 10-year contract. Few men of the modern NRL era have played with Taumalolo’s physicality and toughness.

There have been whispers the Cowboys have privately discussed medically retiring Taumalolo, a claim emphatically denied by the club and his agent Chris Orr of PSM.

Amid that backdrop, Taumalolo must come to terms with the seismic leadership shift in Townsville, a demotion Payten says the six-time Cowboys player of the year has accepted.

Jason Taumalolo (R) altered his regular training regimen ahead of a fight against Reagan Campbell-Gillard in October 7 2023. Picture: Blair Jackson.

“Jase was surprised by the decision, but he understood why it was made,” Payten said.

“He was disappointed naturally, but I expected both he and Chad to be disappointed.

“Since then, he has shown great humility around the decision, around his actions and how important it is for him to work with the new leaders (Dearden and Cotter) and the rest of the group.”

There is a view Payten has jumped the gun; that he has made change for change’s sake by axing Taumalolo and Townsend.

But the Cowboys coach argues the timing of the captaincy overhaul is strategic, giving Cotter, 25, and Dearden, 22, the opportunity to develop as leaders while Taumalolo and Townsend are still around as mentors and sounding boards.

“We have a group of players who are closer to the end than the beginning,” Payten said, mindful the off-contract Townsend, 33, could retire at season’s end.

“For ‘Rubes’ and Tommy, they were an easy decision for me.

“It was a long-term decision based around giving Tommy and Rubes the best opportunity to develop and be great leaders by the end of the season with support around them that they can lean on.

“I’d rather that than throw them to the wolves in 12 months’ time, without a lot of surrounding help.

“Both Rubes and Tommy have had some life challenges that they had to work their way through.

Jason Taumalolo failed to make his customary impact in 2023. Picture: Getty Images

“Tom was essentially on the scrap heap fighting for his career when he came to us from the Broncos. Rubes played around five games in three years because of constant injuries and he had the internal questions about desire and the motivation to play on.

“But both those boys fought through it and they lead everything on the pitch.

“They are competitive. They fight on every play. They lead our conditioning drills. They tick the boxes in the recovery and rehab room. They are strong in our community. They are well respected by our playing group.

“It was an easy decision to go with those two. The way we have done it is perhaps a little unconventional ... but this is the right decision for the right reasons.”

If the Cowboys are to launch a finals fightback this season, they need Taumalolo fit, focused and firing. For so long the club’s No. 1 forward, he was relegated to the bench six times last season, an unusual sight for the most destructive ballrunner in Cowboys history.

Six days after last season’s NRL grand final, Taumalolo made his boxing debut on home soil in Townsville. He lost a split decision to Eels rival Reagan Campbell-Gillard, but the intense boxing training saw Taumalolo tip the scales at 116.5kg.

Few players get fitter after 30. But Payten says the Cowboys superstar lock is in sensational condition - he has lost around 3kg - and will play a crucial role in North Queensland’s bid for the club’s second premiership.

“Jase has got himself super fit,” the coach said.

“He’s as lean as I’ve seen him for a period of time.

“We’ve had a few chats in the off-season with some things that Jase can evolve in his game. Certainly his footy IQ is very good, his skill set is very good with his catch and pass.

“I’d like to see Jase start to offload a bit more. We’ve done a little bit of work with Jase and the rest of our forwards in that area, particularly offloading near the opposition tryline.

“He has the ability to pass pre-line which makes us a better team, too. A lot of our middle forwards have skill and I encourage them to find the right play at the right time.

“His training loads and output on the field (in pre-season) is much greater than where he was in the second half of the year last year after surgery. He has put himself in a good position to have a good season.

“Absolutely we can win it. I have seen a look in their eye and a desire to get better day after day. We will have a new direction with our leadership. It’s an enjoyable place to be at the moment.

“I can assure you everyone is motivated ... Jase included.”