Payten backs Cotter for Origin berth after big NQ win
Cotter was defiant in the face of a swarming Eels attack across a tough 80-minute performance in sweltering conditions. He finished with 43 tackles and 132 metres in the 35-4 win.
When quizzed after the game about Cotter’s Origin credentials, Payten wasted little time before giving him the nod.
“If (the Maroons) are looking for a 14 to play off the bench, then absolutely,” Payten said.
“He played 80 minutes through the middle as a lock, he made 55 tackles. He is tough and tenacious.
“He is off the back of three knee reconstructions. He has had a difficult time to get to where he is now so it is really good to see him string a few games together.
“He is a great kid, he is from Sarina, and he is North Queensland through and through. He is what our club is about.”
Cotter’s resolute performance in the middle of the field typified the Cowboys performance, which suddenly has the NRL’s top judges inking them into their top eight calculations.
NQ defied a 6-3 penalty count, a 52-48 per cent possession split and a 64-36 per cent territory split against them to outscore the Eels six tries to one.
It is a far cry from where many pundits predicted the Cowboys to be at this point in the season, but Payten and captain Chad Townsend were adamant the belief within the club had always remained.
“I always believed after the first couple of rounds that we could be a good team,” Payten said. “There was some tough moments last year and we made some really long term decisions at the back end of last year that are starting to bear fruit.
“At no stage did we talk about making a statement (against Parramatta), we just said we had an opportunity against a good team and to prove to ourselves we are heading in the right direction.”
Townsend said the combinations in the squad had fortified over the past month ahead of a stretch of tough month which includes matches against the Knights and Tigers before meeting the previous two premiers Penrith and Melbourne in consecutive weeks.