NRL 2024: Cowboys coach Todd Payten taunts Cronulla Sharks ahead of finals clash

The mind games have begun ahead of the blockbuster Cowboys-Sharks clash, with Todd Payten reminding Cronulla of their horror finals record and questioning their premiership credentials.

Todd Payten has lobbed a hand grenade into Cronulla’s bunker with the Cowboys coach saying finals flops the Sharks could carry mental scars into Friday night’s finals blockbuster at Allianz Stadium.

The mind games have hit overdrive with Payten questioning whether the Sharks could be crushed by the weight of their poor finals record and go out in straight sets for the second time in three seasons.

But Cronulla coach Craig Fitzgibbon hit back at the club’s critics, accusing star halfback Nicho Hynes’ detractors of “confirmation bias” and looking for every flaw to justify their opinions of the besieged NSW Origin playmaker.

Cowboys coach Todd Payten has taunted the Sharks on the eve of their semi-final clash. Picture: Getty Images

The Sharks have lost four consecutive playoffs under Fitzgibbon and a fifth defeat on Friday night would leave Cronulla at risk of being derided as finals chokers.

North Queensland helped send Cronulla crashing out the back door in 2022, winning a gripping extra-time finals game 32-30 at Shark Park, and Payten is primed for the Cowboys to inflict more misery.

On the eve of the sudden-death showdown at Allianz, Payten reminded Fitzgibbon and his Sharks of their duck-egg finals record.

“They are a chance of going out in straight sets again,” he said.

“It’s got to be playing on their mind.

“I know it would be on my mind.

“They are only human.

“Their forwards have copped a bit in the press so we expect them to start fast and physical and play through the middle.

“The start is really important and both teams have to play on the back foot and that’s what we did last week.

“That’s what finals footy is about, hanging in there when it’s not going great, and finding a way to come over the top.”

Payten brought up the Sharks’ horror recent finals record, suggesting they are ‘a chance of going out in straight sets again’. Picture: Getty Images

Fitzgibbon has done a largely outstanding job as Cronulla coach, steering the Sharks to three consecutive finals campaigns and two top-four finishes.

But at the business end of the season, the Sharks have lost their nerve.

After losing to the Cowboys in the opening finals week in 2022, they went out in straight sets after being flogged 38-12 by South Sydney – ironically at Allianz.

Last year, the Sharks lasted just one week, surrendering a 6-0 halftime lead against the Roosters to lose 13-12 after a Sam Walker field goal at Cronulla’s PointsBet home ground.

Last week, Cronulla were flogged 37-10 by minor premiers Melbourne, with Sharks halfback Hynes copping brickbats for one of his worst performances of the season.

Cronulla’s $1 million man is under pressure to deliver against the Cowboys and Fitzgibbon scoffed at critics of the former Dally M winner.

Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon has defended his side and vowed to get the finals monkey off their back. Picture: Getty Images

“I won’t be picking a team based on what anyone else says,” he said.

“Nicho just has to do his own job. He shows great capability levels for a young half. He is a quality player, he has more levels and he hasn’t reached his potential.

“I feel like this (criticism of Hynes) has happened to a lot of price-tag players, this has happened historically, not just to Nicho.

“With that (price tag) comes responsibility and scrutiny.

“It’s confirmation bias, you see a couple of things he hasn’t done well and to prove yourself right, you look at things he’s not doing well.

“We all do it, once you have a set of beliefs, you look for evidence to back that up and keep talking about it, but we’ll focus on his good stuff.”

Fitzgibbon isn’t shying away from Cronulla’s dismal finals record and vowed to get the gorilla off their back.

“For the situation we’re in, the only way out is through it so we have to bunker down and get through it,” he said.

“We’re not shying away from that challenge (their 0-4 finals record).

“You work the whole season to get this opportunity, you play your whole year to be in the biggest games.

“To get one (finals win) down would be amazing and confidence building.”

Fitzgibbon has also defended star halfback Nicho Hynes as criticism begins to mount. Picture: Getty Images

Former Broncos premiership lock Corey Parker believes Cronulla players are feeling the heat.

“The Cronulla players can deny it as much as they like, but the media do a great job of bringing it up and putting it in their face,” he said.

“For the players who have been there and haven’t won a finals game, absolutely they will be conscious of their record.

“That’s a lot of finals losses.

“If they lose this week, that’s three years in a row they have gone into the finals and dropped straight out, so the pressure is enormous.

“Nicho Hynes will be having a think about it. Absolutely it’s psychological.

“They would be thinking we haven’t won a finals game, they can’t escape the noise.

“’Fitzy’ said the other week respect has to be earnt and I agree with him.

“If they don’t win, then that’s another failed year of going out the back door in the finals.”

Originally published as NRL 2024: Cowboys coach Todd Payten taunts Cronulla Sharks ahead of finals clash