Todd Payten to reportedly be appointed head coach of North Queensland Cowboys

After weeks of speculation, the North Queensland Cowboys have reportedly chosen a former assistant coach to replace Paul Green.

The North Queensland Cowboys have reportedly chosen a former assistant coach to replace Paul Green.

The North Queensland Cowboys will reportedly appoint Todd Payten as their new head coach in the coming days.

Premiership-winning coach Paul Green stepped down from his role at the Cowboys in July, and according to The Daily Telegraph’s Phil Rothfield, Payten will be named his replacement this week.

Rothfield reported the three-year contract will be worth approximately $1.5 million.

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Payten has served as interim head coach of the New Zealand Warriors since Stephen Kearney was brutally axed in June.

The 41-year-old has since proven his worth as an NRL coach — the Warriors have won four of their last five encounters, only losing in that period to the Penrith Panthers.

Warriors assistant coach Todd Payten speaks to media.

In July, Payten revealed he had rejected an offer from the Warriors to become their full-time head coach.

“I’d been offered the job last Monday, and I told the club I’m going to turn it down,” Payten told NRL 360.

“It’s not an easy decision, something I agonised over for a few days, but in the end, it was the first time I’ve put my family first in the decision. It just wasn’t the right timing.”

Payten served as Green’s assistant coach during the Cowboys’ premiership campaign in 2015.

Speaking to Fox League, Brisbane Broncos great Ben Ikin said the appointment was “well deserved”.

“He’s given his interview, then he backed it up with a stellar coaching performance,” Ikin said on Sunday.

“The Warriors are the story of the year — they currently sit in ninth position on 14 points, still a chance of playing finals football if you can believe that.

“Todd Payten’s put his hand up as a coach of the future; good to see him get a chance.”

Payten beat a shortlist of John Cartwright, Josh Hannay and English coach Shaun Wane for the Cowboys position.

Last week, The Australian’s Brent Read argued Payten’s stellar work with the Warriors during the chaotic 2020 season may not be enough to secure the coveted position in Townsville.

“Apparently (Shaun Wane) interviewed very well, he’s got some runs on the board with Wigan and England. Apparently he impressed the Warriors too when he spoke to them,” Read told Fox League’s NRL 360.

“It would be a risky move by the Cowboys to appoint him.

“Todd Payten can’t do any more than he’s doing now with the Warriors. He’s doing an amazing job. I think it’s pretty close, it’s very tight up there.”

Four months after flying out of New Zealand, Payten reunited with his family on the Central Coast on Saturday.

“They got out of quarantine this morning at 10am,” Payten said, as reported by The Daily Telegraph.

“It’s been a great day. We hadn’t seen each other for 120 days on the dot.”

After the Warriors secured a 36-6 win over the Newcastle Knights on Saturday, and the NRL world pleaded for Payten to get a shot at one of the vacant coaching positions.

Rugby league great Mark Geyer tweeted: “Surely Payten gets the Cowboys gig? What he’s done with the Warriors is nothing short of miraculous.”

AAP sports journalist Pam Whaley posted: “Have you ever seen a better audition for an NRL coaching gig than what Todd Payten is giving us right now? The man management alone is extraordinary.”