By Nick Wright
For the North Queensland Cowboys to orchestrate a meteoric salvage mission, Todd Payten would have to pull the trigger on the most courageous decisions of his career.
Having fallen from shock preliminary finalists to the NRL doldrums in a year, the coach searched for answers on how they could orchestrate a comeback to premiership contention.
Todd Payten made a huge call when he changed his captaincy team, which featured club favourite Jason Taumalolo. But his biggest call was still to come.Credit: NRL Photos
First, he overhauled the club’s leadership, naming Tom Dearden and Reuben Cotter as captains to replace veterans Jason Taumalolo and Chad Townsend.
But his riskiest move would not come until round 24, when he dropped Townsend – his premiership-winning halfback – for a resurgent Jake Clifford.
Clifford, once burdened with the “tremendous expectation” of being Johnathan Thurston’s heir apparent, returned from stints with the Knights and Super League side Hull a new man, free of the demons he carried from his early days in the NRL.
Cowboys head of football Micheal Luck revealed Payten endured many a sleepless night over the decision, knowing it could make or break their title ambitions.
What transpired was a three-game winning streak to claim a home elimination final against Newcastle.
“Chad’s been wonderful ever since he came here three years ago, and we couldn’t have asked any better of him as a leader and influential voice in the group,” Luck told this masthead.
“But the form of the guys we had playing Queensland Cup [Clifford and Tom Duffy] was just irresistible. Toddy didn’t have a choice – they were going so well, when our NRL team had been a little up and down.
“It’s a big call for a coach to make, and a brave one, and it’s not always the safe option to make a call like that, and I know Toddy had plenty of sleepless nights before and after.
“But I’ll give Chad credit, he’s embraced his role in the squad over the last month and been really good in the preparation areas for our team, and making sure Cliffo and Tommy Dearden and Robbo [Reece Robson] are well prepared to play.”
The bold call to bring Clifford and Dearden together had North Queensland peaking on the eve of the finals – scoring 124 points in their past three outings.
And their union spells danger for the way they could bring out the best in the team’s attacking linchpin.
Scott Drinkwater announced himself as one of the game’s most electric fullbacks during the Cowboys’ 2022 run.
But Luck has noticed an evolution in the dynamic No.1’s game.
After becoming renowned as an enigmatic “gunslinger”, Drinkwater has become more selective and patient, free to sniff out his opportunities as Clifford and Dearden have sharpened the attack.
But his greatest test will take place on Saturday, when he wages a heated battle with the Knights’ star No.1, Kalyn Ponga.
“I think he’s getting more controlled with his critical involvements. Drink’s one of the most gifted attacking players in the comp – he sees things a play ahead, and he’s got speed and skill that allows him to exploit opportunities,” Luck said.
“But what we’ve continued to work on is him being selective with that, and not being bored with continuing to do what works. If he did something and it worked in the first 10 minutes, he doesn’t have to go away from it and dig for the next trick.
“Drink has learnt that, he understands what a good blueprint is to playing consistently competitive football. He might not be the gunslinger of a couple of years ago, but he’s no less effective.”
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