NRL Report Good news for North Queensland Cowboys: He is back..

Cowboys’ strategy to recover from their 2023 upset as a decision about a club mainstay approaches: State of Play

The Cowboys were undoubtedly one of the biggest disappointments of 2023.

North Queensland had a slow start of 3-6 in the season following their hosting of a preliminary final (loss to Parramatta in 2022) that they were unable to overcome.

Despite a six-game winning streak in the middle of the season, Todd Payten’s team ran out of steam towards the end and missed out on the top eight.

There should be hope for this season in North Queensland despite the previous one’s disappointments. because their roster appears to be filled with exceptional talent everywhere you look.

The team has several young, talented forwards who will play major roles in 2024, while fullback Scott Drinkwater had a breakout year, ranking among the league’s best offensive fullbacks.

Payten has led the Cowboys for an even three years, with a record of 37 wins and 37 defeats since joining the team at the beginning of the 2021 season.

Payten’s ability to lead the Cowboys to a preliminary final in just his second season is impressive; he attributed this success to his dedication to assembling a strong defense. Payten was recognized for his efforts by winning the 2022 Coach of the Year award.

There won’t be any justifications this time around since Payten is probably going to return to what worked heading into the 2022 season. The Cowboys’ preseason in 2023 was presumably hampered by the large number of players competing in the World Cup.

Two wise additions to the coaching staff are former Warriors assistant Justin Morgan and James Maloney.

Payten’s coaching position would be in jeopardy after another disappointing season, but for now, his position is quite safe and he has shown thus far that he is the appropriate guy to lead the Cowboys back to the championship game.

The Cowboys’ defense was the cornerstone of their victorious 2022 campaign, but it was neglected during the previous campaign.

While it wasn’t terrible by any means, it was a lot worse than their third-place season in 2022.

North Queensland gave up 361 points in 2022 compared to a whopping 542 points the previous season—a discrepancy of 181. The low moment occurred in Round 12 when they were outscored 66 points by the Wests Tigers.

The foundation of defense is effort, and Payten will be eager to demonstrate his club that they can become one of the league’s most stingy teams once again by demonstrating their ability.

Since Chad Townsend is probably going to finish his career with the Cowboys and retire after the 2025 season, the team will require a halfback.

Townsend’s performance in 2023 was inconsistent at best; he was unable to duplicate his strong performance in the previous season, which saw him assist North Queensland in reaching the preliminary final.

Therefore, if Townsend’s problems persist in the upcoming campaign, the Cowboys might move Tom Dearden to halfback to test if the Maroons representative can cover that position or if five-eighth is a better fit for him.