The North Queensland Cowboys have enlisted the expertise of Paul Wellens to address their defensive struggles that undermined their premiership ambitions last season.
Wellens, who has represented Great Britain in 20 tests and England in 11, recently spent three successful years coaching at St Helens in the Super League.
This experienced coach has joined the Cowboys as their defensive coordinator, aiming to rectify the defensive vulnerabilities that plagued the team last year.
These issues contributed to one of the franchise's most challenging seasons, with the Cowboys conceding 684 points in 2025, marking it as their fourth worst defensive record since joining the NRL.
However, a turnaround is anticipated, as Scott Drinkwater has expressed admiration for Wellens' contributions over the summer, noting the swift impact of his coaching methods.
"Everyone said the defence was no good… and they were right," Drinkwater stated.
"Paul coming in has been great for us. He has emphasised that we need to hustle for each other and show more urgency on the tryline."
"We've been working hard so now we have to put what we've been practising into round one in Vegas."
"It's a big year for the club and we are pumped to start off on the right foot."