‘Habit of complaining’: Souths coach’s dig at Todd Payten amid time wasting accusation

Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou gave Todd Payten an “uppercut” after the Cowboys coach accused the Bunnies of time wasting tactics.

Todd Payten and Jason Demetriou.

Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou has had a dig at Todd Payten for “complaining” too much after his Cowboys counterpart questioned the use of several Head Injury Assessments (HIAs).

Speaking in his post-match press conference, Payten said some of Souths’ HIAs on their players came at crucial times and swung momentum away from the Cowboys in their 20-10 loss on Saturday night.

Stream every game of every round of the 2022 NRL Telstra Premiership Season Live & Ad-Break Free During Play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

Payten’s main complaint centred around why Tevita Tatola underwent an HIA when he was simply crunched by Cowboys lock Jason Taumaolo in a brutal tackle that was completely legal.

“The game went for two hours tonight,” Payten said.

“I was very confused about some of the HIAs at the back end.

“There was one in the first half where Jason (Taumalolo) actually hit Tatola through the ribs and there was a HIA.

“That is bending the rules at best.

“Then there was one where we forced an error and there was a scrum and it was our ball and momentum was in our favour and that is another opportunity where they can stop the game and get their gas back and it halts all momentum in our favour.

“I would like the NRL to have a look at it. It is not my job. Well it is my job, but they have got the right people to have a look at it and I would like them to investigate it or at least look closer at it.”

Cowboys’ Coen Hess was sin binned for this collision with Campbell Graham. Photo: Fox Sports.

Payten also questioned why Coen Hess was sin binned for a tackle on Campbell Graham when the Souths player came from the field but didn’t undergo an HIA.

“I’m unsure, I’d like to get another look at it, but like from our point of view Campbell Graham didn’t come off for a HIA, so I’m not sure if he got hit in the head or not,” Payten said.

“That’s the part that I’m confused about.”

Asked if he supports the idea of players being sin binned for head clashes, Payten said: “Not particularly no.”

In response to Payten’s comments, Demetriou said: “I think he has a bit of a habit about complaining about stuff.”

“Our medical team are as diligent and respectful of the rules as anyone in the game.

“I think if you looked at how many HIA’s we have used and how many blokes we have brought off the field we would be one of the fewest in the competition.

“To suggest that, I am going to stick up for my staff here and they don’t do that unless there is a reason to do it.”

Jason Demetriou has a dig at his opposite number. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

Todd Payten wasn’t happy. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

Fox League’s Corey Parker said: “That may have been a personal attack. It certainly sounded that way. I don’t know what history they have as individuals.”

Cooper Cronk said it was “a little uppercut just before finals”.

Parker believes Payten was within his rights to argue there should not have been an HIA for Taumalolo’s brutal tackle on Tatola, which he said was as close to “textbook” as it gets.

“Jason Taumalolo has deadset cut Tatola in half and that was an HIA,” Parker said.

“So I can understand the scratching of the head or the questioning from Todd Payten. That’s without the Coen Hess incident that happened later in the game.

“That’s as clean a tackle as you’ll ever see. I don’t understand why there’s an HIA there. He has done everything he can do as a middle forward to iron out Tatola, yet it was a detriment to the Cowboys.”

The result means the Rabbitohs are guaranteed to finish in the top eight, while the Cowboys are third on the ladder heading into the last round of the season.