The Cowboys’ season has unravelled, and club bosses admit the way they handled the State of Origin period will come under heavy scrutiny.
North Queensland have now missed the finals in three of the past five years, slipping to 13th on the ladder after losing seven of their last nine games.
Football boss Micheal Luck said a post-season review will place the club’s entire program under the microscope.
He conceded the Origin period “crushed” a squad that lost Tom Dearden, Reuben Cotter, Jeremiah Nanai and Reece Robson to representative duty.
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‘We’ve underperformed’
“There’s no doubt we have underperformed to what expectations were at the start of the year,” Luck said.
“We went from being sixth or seventh when Origin came around. Now we’ve fallen back to 12th or 13th when the Origin period was over. That’s an area we’ve really got to look at.”
While Luck praised the club’s Origin contingent, he admitted their absence disrupted preparations at a critical point in the season.
“It’s wonderful to have Origin players in your roster. But there’s no doubt it takes a fair gap out of any program for a couple of months, particularly when your two captains are integral in the Origin program.”
Defensive woes pile up
Beyond Origin, Luck pointed to defence as a glaring weakness.
The Cowboys conceded 29.7 points per game this year — nearly double their effort from 2022 when they reached a grand-final qualifier.
They leaked 30 or more points on 10 occasions, including a 58-point collapse against the Dolphins in Round 15.
“A lack of continuity with our squad has made it difficult to be consistent in a defensive structure,” Luck said.
Pressure on Payten
Coach Todd Payten is off-contract in 2026 but has endured the toughest year of his tenure.
While Luck stopped short of guaranteeing Payten’s future, he defended the coach’s resilience.
“Toddy’s been resolute in his attitude towards coaching this team and making this club a better place,” he said.
“It’s probably been his toughest year of his tenure, with the absence of a lot of senior players and influential players for a long period of time, particularly when the going was tough.”
Future built around Dearden, Taumalolo
Despite the struggles, the Cowboys remain optimistic about their core.
Luck hailed Queensland halfback Tom Dearden as a “title-winning force” and the natural successor to Johnathan Thurston’s mantle as the club’s competitive heartbeat.
“Tommy’s stamping his mark as the team’s director and he’s certainly the leader on the field,” Luck said.
Meanwhile, Jason Taumalolo’s future continues to be debated, but Luck insisted the veteran forward can play out his contract through to 2027.
“He is still the chief in our dressing room. What he says goes,” Luck said.
Demanding more
Luck stressed the squad must feel the disappointment of a failed campaign.
“No-one’s happy about being where we are,” he said.
“Everyone’s pushing each other to get better and to improve performances and be where we should be, which is well entrenched in the top six teams in the competition.”