Melbourne Storm assistant Jason Ryles has pledged his loyalty to Eddie Jones

Todd Payten’s path to the top job at North Queensland has become clearer after Storm assistant Jason Ryles confirmed he would head to England at the end of the season.

England-bound Jason Ryles with huge England rugby fan Prince Harry

Todd Payten’s path to the top job at North Queensland has become significantly clearer after Melbourne Storm assistant Jason Ryles confirmed he was committed to joining Eddie Jones as part of the England rugby union set-up at the end of the season.

Ryles was considered one of the leading contenders for the Cowboys job but was known to be torn between his desire to be an NRL head coach and his loyalty to Jones.

The latter has won out after Ryles confirmed to The Australian that he would honour his commitment to Jones.

Payten is considered the frontrunner for the job in North Queensland, having turned down the chance to become the head coach of the Warriors.

However, Cowboys officials were interested in speaking to Ryles as part of the process, the belief that he is the next head coach to evolve from the Storm system.

However, he opted not to express an interest and will instead finish the season with the Storm before heading to England to ink up with Jones. Ryles has spent recent off-seasons in England working alongside Jones before returning to the NRL, and he was known to be reluctant to break his word.

Jason Ryles has kept his promise to Eddie Jones

He will move there on a permanent basis once the Storm’s season is over and spend at least two years working alongside one of the smartest coaches in the footballing codes. the belief is that when Ryles decides to return to rugby league, he will do so as the finished product.

Clubs will likely be beating a path to his door. For the moment, his sole priority is on helping the Storm to another premiership. His decision comes hot on the heels of premiership-winning coach Michael Maguire pledging his commitment to Wests Tigers.

The collegiate relationship between Storm and Tigers, meanwhile, is set to extend to the immediate playing future of Harry Grant as the two clubs keep the lines of communication open over the breakout star’s knee problem.

Grant, part of a loan deal involving Paul Momirovski, will miss this week and perhaps longer as he seeks further advice over how to handle an issue with the meniscus cartilage in his knee.

The hope is that Grant, one of the players of the season, will be back next week. There is every chance it might be longer than that, although, the Tigers and Storm are optimistic it won’t be the season.

Grant was due to visit a surgeon on Wednesday afternoon to have further consultation as he weighed up whether to have the meniscus in his knee shaved or left to recuperate on its own.

Wests Tigers hooker Harry Grant with coach Michael Maguire. Picture: Richard Dobson

Making the decision even more delicate is that Grant has had surgery on his meniscus before — the general rule of thumb is the less surgery, the better.

The hope is it won’t be necessary but the final call will ultimately rest with both his current club and his parent club, whose respective medical teams and heads of football — Frank Ponissi and Adam Hartigan — have been in constant contact this week.

The clubs have formed a strong relationship, the bond highlighted by the way they consulted heavily over Momirovski. Momirovski will miss the remainder of the season and after undergoing surgery on a torn tendon in his finger.

Grant shapes as an even bigger loss for the Tigers given the impact he has had on the club and the precarious point they have reached in their season.

Successive defeats to Parramatta and the Warriors have left the Tigers season on the brink — another defeat could mean they finish the weekend four points adrift of the top eight.

Tigers coach Michael Maguire made sweeping changes to his line-up for Saturday’s game against Newcastle, among them the inclusion of Josh Reynolds on an extended interchange bench.

Reynolds has one year remaining on his contract with the Tigers and he could yet figure in a swap deal with Gareth Widdop, who is keen to return to the NRL.

Widdop’s English club Warrington have ruled out a swap for Dragons star Corey Norman, meaning their former captain may be forced to look elsewhere.

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Reynolds shapes as a logical makeweight should the Tigers opt to head down that path. Maguire will have the ultimate say, having committed to remain at the club in recent days.

He informed his players on Wednesday that he had no interest in moving elsewhere, having been linked with North Queensland in recent days.

“I knew from the start that it wasn’t true,” said Benji Marshall, who will play his 250th game for the Tigers this weekend.

“Madge is really upfront and honest with the guys. If there is anything that needs to be addressed, he will address it.

“So this morning he said, ‘boys I want you to know my heart and soul is committed to winning a premiership here. I am going nowhere.’

“When you hear that it is nice to hear. I don’t think any of the boys were nervous about him leaving.”

Tigers centre Chris Lawrence, who will also play his 250th game this weekend, added: “Everyone is here for the same goal and to have that reinforced by him is good to hear.”