As North Queensland prepares for an elimination final against Cronulla, coach Todd Payten is under pressure to address recent performance issues following a heavy loss to Canberra.
In their last match, the Cowboys suffered a 50-30 defeat, highlighted by a controversial incident just 15 seconds in. Reuben Cotter, co-captain of the Cowboys, was sin-binned due to a high shot on Raiders veteran Josh Papalii. Referee Nick Pelgrave deemed the tackle reckless, yet Papalii returned to play after passing his Head Injury Assessment (HIA).
Payten expressed optimism that Cotter wouldn't face suspension for the upcoming match, stating, "Not necessarily. It was a big collision, definitely." He perceived the incident as a head clash, and shared that Papalii's quick recovery was beneficial for both the player and his career farewell.
Cotter echoed his coach's sentiment, referring to the impact as "head on head." Even though he has faced three grade one charges from the Match Review Committee this season, Cotter holds no additional loading on his record, as a couple of earlier charges have since dropped off. A grade two charge would, however, see him sidelined for the Sharks match.
Payten expressed disappointment in the team's inability to compete, saying, "Shocked, very disappointed." With the playoffs upon them, he emphasized the urgency of regrouping swiftly to improve. The team must enhance their discipline, as Payten noted the Cowboys' troubling trend of having players sin-binned due to poor decisions.
He asserted, "The game is too hard to play with 12 men. If we do that next week, the game is gone." Payten highlighted that maintaining high completion rates and good field position will be crucial in their playoff journey.