North Queensland coach Todd Payten has delivered a frank assessment of the Cowboys’ underwhelming 2025 campaign, conceding his side’s discipline and defensive resolve were nowhere near the required standard.
The Cowboys, who sit outside the finals race despite a late-season fightback, have already begun reshaping their football department, with assistants Justin Morgan and Ben Rauter moved on and Steve Sheppard redeployed in another role.
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Chief executive Jeff Reibel has publicly backed Payten to continue leading the club into 2026, but the coach admits major lessons need to be absorbed.
‘Not a winning recipe’
“Injuries haven’t helped, but the short answer is our D (defence) hasn’t held up because of the fact that we’re the most penalised team when the opposition comes out of their end, and we make the most errors when we’re coming out of ours,” Payten told CODE Sports.
“That’s not a winning recipe, so we’ve got to fix that first and the rest of the game will follow. That’s been the clear lesson for us all.
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“I think another lesson is experience counts. We lost a bit of experience last year, we had some guys getting their first real shot and extended period in first grade, and it’s a different kettle of fish.”
Despite flashes of resilience, including a stirring comeback victory over Wests Tigers this month, the Cowboys have conceded more than 640 points this season, a figure Payten admits is untenable for a side with finals aspirations.
With Reibel insisting the roster is capable of challenging again, and with co-captain Tom Dearden seen as central to future success, Payten now faces the challenge of turning lessons into action as North Queensland look towards 2026 with renewed purpose.