Payten brushes half talk
NORTH Queensland coach Todd Payten has remained tightlipped over the club’s pursuit of Chad Townsend, however he admits they are eager to lock down their 2022 halves pairing as soon as possible.
The Cowboys have been linked to a host of halfback options beyond this season, while Scott Drinkwater and Ben Hampton have held the fort for the past three weeks.
Both players are off contract at the end of 2021, while Jake Clifford is already on his way to Newcastle.
Payten said he would seek to confirm the playmaking rebuild “as soon as possible”, and said all Drinkwater could do was “play good football to get a new contract; whether it’s here or somewhere else”.
While he said the external noise could impact his players’ mindset, ultimately it was the nature of the beast they needed to adapt to.
“I think those guys that we have there at the moment understand this is how the game rolls,” Payten said.
“There’s a lot of speculation around our club in particular. I wouldn’t expect that to take their attention away from their own performance and if it does I’d be disappointed.
“I’ve been pretty clear about our position as a club, we need an organising half and that’s the first piece of the puzzle with our recruitment.
“We want that player to be a good person, we need him to be professional and we need him to have the ability to come in and teach our young halves and the rest of our squad how to play the game the right way.
“The more clarity we can get around what direction we’re heading in as a club the further the next pieces will fall into place.”
Payten has named an unchanged line up for Saturday’s clash with the Canberra Raiders, however boom forward Tom Gilbert has been named in the extended 21-man squad.
Clifford, who starred for the Northern Pride against the Townsville Blackhawks has been selected in jersey 20, and the Cowboys mentor said if he continued to play in the same vein, he would be close to returning to the starting side.
Star lock Jason Taumalolo was not named as he recovers from another hand injury.
Mitchell Dunn remains on the bench after impressing in his comeback from injury, and Payten hinted he could continue to play the same role in the middle he took on against the Bulldogs.
“He did a really good job through the middle, and is another point of difference – a bit of a ball-playing role for us.
“When we get our game right it’s effective; in that first half we completed five from five and scored a try, in the second half we were 12 from 12 to start the half and scored three tries.”