Payten laments errors
Groundhog Day for hapless Cowboys
For a team leading the NRL in tries, try assists and linebreaks, the Cowboys sure don’t look like world-beaters right now.
North Queensland succumbed to its second loss of the season on Saturday at the hands of an under-fire Parramatta outfit fighting to keep its season alive, and Todd Payten’s presser felt like Groundhog Day.
Too many errors.
Poor decision-making. We need to get better. We need to improve. We need to play for 80 minutes.
Saturday’s solemn assessment from the 2022 Dally M
Coach of the Year would have been a frustrating watch for the team’s faithful supporters because they’ve heard it all before.
It’s hard to fault a team that has a 4-2 record and sits inside the top four of the standings – especially after last year’s horror opening months – but the weakest area of the Cowboys’ game hasn’t shown improvement.
Only the Rabbitohs and Sea Eagles have made more errors than the Cowboys’ 70 mistakes through the first six rounds of the season.
North Queensland made 16 errors in round 2 against Newcastle, somehow escaping with a 21-20 golden point victory after trailing 12-0 at the break.
Payten blasted his side for putting pressure on themselves with errors, especially within their own half.
“Happy to get away with a win. I wouldn’t say we deserved it but we found a way,” Payten said.
“We didn’t play well. We turned the ball over seven times on play one, and we were there (trapped on our goal line) because of our own doing.
“We got away with that one. Plenty to work on, we’ll address the work-ons tomorrow and execute that throughout the week.”
It was a similar tale in round 3 when an error-laden Cowboys found themselves trailing the Dragons 18-4 after 20 minutes before scoring 42 consecutive points to win emphatically.
North Queensland only made seven errors this time, but Payten insisted that wouldn’t be good enough against the top sides.
“We weren’t able to defend our errors which we need to nail down against the elite teams,” he said. “We’re off the pace, if you’re talking about the elite teams from last year. We’ve got to improve and improve quickly.”
Payten’s theory was proved correct the following week during the Cowboys’ worst performance of the season so far, making a shocking 18 errors in a 38-12 drubbing in Brisbane.
Fullback Scott Drinkwater’s five handling errors contributed to 17 from the Cowboys back five, giving the Broncos far too many opportunities to attack. Drinkwater, pictured, and Kangaroos centre Valentine Holmes – two typically reliable players – now find themselves tied-fifth in the competition with 11 errors each. Payten signalled a drastic change would come following the 38-12 defeat at Lang Park. “So disappointed … we have work to do” Payten said.