Payten finds his place at Warriors
The Warriors have signed highlyregarded Todd Payten as an NRL assistant coach from next season.
Payten is an assistant coach at North Queensland but will join the Warriors on a three-year contract as a replacement for Andrew McFadden who will return to Australia with his family at the end of the season after six years with the Warriors.
The 39-year-old has also previously worked as an assistant coach at Wests Tigers and will continue his development under Warriors head coach Stephen Kearney and alongside fellow assistants Stacey Jones and Tony Iro.
“Todd’s a young coach who has made a great impression and we’re really excited about having him on board from next season,” said Kearney.
“While replacing Cappy [McFadden] wasn’t going to be easy after the wonderful contribution he has made to our club, we’ve been extremely fortunate to secure Todd.”
Warriors general manager of football Brian Smith is confident Payten’s experience on both sides of the clipboard will make him a welcome addition to the club’s coaching staff.
“Todd has served a great apprenticeship as a player and coach at very good clubs and has experienced grand final success as both a player and a coach,” said Smith.
Payten’s playing career began in 1996 with the Raiders, followed by stints with the Roosters and Wests Tigers, before his retirement in 2011 after 259 appearances.
The following season he enjoyed immediate success as a head coach after steering the joint venture club’s under-20s team to a NYC title win.
He coached the side again in 2013 before being promoted to an assistant role under former Tigers NRL head coach Michael Potter in 2014, and both seasons also coached the New South Wales under-18s to victory over Queensland.
Meanwhile, Warriors interchange forward Bunty Afoa is free to play in tomorrow’s home game against Newcastle at Mt Smart Stadium after successfully contesting a dangerous contact charge.
Afoa was cited for an incident involving St George Illawarra forward Leeson Ah Mau in the second-half of Saturday’s gritty 18-12 win in Wollongong.
The club hired a lawyer to defend the 21-year-old at the NRL judiciary in Sydney on Tuesday night, with Afoa and Iro assisting the hearing from Auckland via video link.
Afoa’s availability comes as the Warriors look to consolidate their spot in the top eight against the 11th-placed Knights and end a four-game losing run at home.
However, fellow interchange frontrower Sam Lisone will miss the clash with the Knights while serving a twoweek ban after taking an early guilty plea for a grade one dangerous contact charge.
The night will be a big occasion for the club with the Warriors women’s team playing a curtain-raiser trial match against the Auckland women’s representative team.
The club are anticipating a big crowd will turn out for both games with just four weeks remaining in the regular season and the Warriors on track to make their first finals appearance since 2011.