The Tackle: Cowboys coach Todd Payten under increasing pressure after horrid start, work still to do for Michael Maguire’s Broncos
A dismal start the season has only raised rumblings of trouble brewing for Cowboys coach Todd Payten, and not for the first time in his tenure. Is he still the right man for the job? Have your say in The Tackle.
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If there were a market for the first NRL coach sacked in 2025, Todd Payten would be the short-priced favourite.
Two poor performances to start the season, conceding 78 points against Manly and Cronulla, has done the Cowboys coach no favours.
It also has only raised the volume on the rumblings of trouble brewing in Townsville, and not the first time under Payten’s tenure.
Next stop for the Cowboys are the Broncos in the Queensland derby and on Friday night more than state bragging rights are at stake.
Even Fox League expert Cooper Cronk believes Payten’s days at the Cowboys are numbered.
“I don’t think they can have another big score put against them, I don’t know if Todd Payten can survive a couple more big scores,” the four time premiership winner said on Saturday.
It doesn’t get any easier in the next two months with the Cowboys to face a plucky Raiders outfit and the reigning premiers Penrith twice.
But Payten has a bigger problem than a tough draw.
He was unable to elicit a response from his side against Cronulla after axing Maroons forward Jeremiah Nanai – one of his best players – after just one round.
That is not a good sign for the coach. Neither is the fact the Cowboys have so far offered little in attack and have been listless in defence.
Yes, players need to take accountability but ultimately the buck stops with Payten.
But Michael Maguire has his own issues at Red Hill.
He was reluctant to admit that the hype surrounding his side after disposing of the Roosters in emphatic fashion in Round 1 had got to the players’ heads.
The danger for Maguire was that his very capable outfit would take a Raiders side without Joe Tapine and Xavier Savage lightly. They seemingly succumbed to that danger.
Led by a resurgent Corey Horsburgh and Josh Papali’i, the Raiders rolled the Broncos through the middle, where Payne Haas and Pat Carrigan were no match.
While star Broncos fullback had an error riddled night to forget in the nation’s capital.
Maguire said he is “learning” more about his players each week.
The biggest lesson he’ll take out of the Raiders loss is that Brisbane’s ‘rock star’ mentality, by owing into their own hype, still lingers.
It’s an issue Maguire will no doubt tackle head on this week given the Cowboys look like easy beats on Friday night.
DISLIKES
UNCROWDED HOUSE
The crowd of 12,080 fans for Penrith’s first “home” game of the season against the Sydney Roosters at CommBank Stadium last Friday night must be a concern for the Panthers.
The lack of genuine home-ground advantage could prove costly in their quest for five straight premierships.
Maybe it was the perceived mismatch against the Roosters, who were thrashed in Round 1, which kept the crowd away.
While the small turnout wasn’t to blame for Penrith’s poor performance, their past four title runs have been fuelled by a packed-out BlueBet Stadium, which has proven to be an intimidating place for rival teams to visit.
Now their spiritual home will be unavailable for the next two seasons while it undergoes a major upgrade, and with CommBank being just 30 minutes away, it’s the best alternative ground.
Their next home game isn’t until Round 5, but it’s a Friday 6pm clash against North Queensland, which could again struggle to draw a crowd.
LIKES
BECAUSE, HE’S WORTH IT
Can we start the bidding at $2 million, ladies and gentlemen. After forking out $1.3 million a season for Dylan Brown, Newcastle should break the bank again to retain Kalyn Ponga beyond 2027.
Ponga is so dominant for Newcastle it’s hard to see them being competitive without the superstar fullback.
As debate rages over whether Brown is worth the cash that’s been thrown on the table by Newcastle, Ponga’s worth to the Knights can’t be questioned.
No doubt Ponga’s services will be in high demand and the final figures of his new contract will be astronomical but he is worth every cent even if they hit the $2 million a season mark.
Speculation about Ponga being unsettled at the Knights won’t go away either.
Asked about the rumours after the Dolphins win, Ponga hit back with: “How did I play? How did I look out there? I look happy don’t I?”.
He’ll get to prove just how happy he is at the Knights by agreeing to a massive extension, which Newcastle are no doubt already orchestrating.
Check back for more likes and dislikes throughout day
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Originally published as The Tackle: Cowboys coach Todd Payten under increasing pressure after horrid start, work still to do for Michael Maguire’s Broncos
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