Cowboys turn to hardened English coach to fix defensive dramas

The North Queensland Cowboys have recruited Paul Wellens to help fix the defensive issues which plagued their premiership credentials last year.

Wellens played 20 tests for Great Britain and 11 tests for England, along with recently coaching three seasons at St Helens in the Super League.

The veteran has come on board as a defensive coach over the summer and is looking to help fix the Cowboys' defensive inconsistencies from last year.

It saw them contribute to one of the worst statistics in the club's history, conceding 684 points in 2025, the fourth poorest record for the Cowboys since their inception into the NRL.

Although, it is all set to change, with Scott Drinkwater glowing with praise of Wellens' work over the summer, telling Wide World of Sports there has been an immediate impact to his efforts.

"Everyone said our defence was no good… and they were right," Drinkwater said.

"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."

The addition of Reed Mahoney is paramount to fixing the Cowboys' defence through the middle.

Known as a tackling machine, Mahoney plugs holes everywhere in the engine room and will add a wealth of support for his middle forwards.

The Cowboys will get their chance to prove themselves as title contenders this year when they kick off their 2026 campaign against the Newcastle Knights in Las Vegas on Sunday, March 1 (AEST).