Fighting for his future: Inside Todd Payten’s battle to keep his job

Todd Payten hears the expectations for the Cowboys this season, the expectations about his future coaching in the NRL. 

The former player turned coach is aware of the business rugby league operates on, how brutal and quickly things can change based on results. 

The North Queensland Cowboys will need to start very well this season, as the club tends to struggle in the first month of the season.

Normally, coaches don't see their job on the line in a positive light, which can be understandable given the circumstances, but Todd Payten has a different mindset.

"I'm off-contract,” Payten said to News Corp.

“I know that.” 

“I see it as a challenge, actually.

“I'm looking forward to it.

“The club has put their faith in me, they have put a lot of support around me and those guys have been wonderful.”

Payten this season has a new group of assistants to confide in, with Blake Green, Paul Wellens and recently retired forward Jordan McLean after dismissing Justin Morgan, Steve Sheppard and Ben Rauter.

The 2025 season Payten admits wasn't fun in the slightest, and hopes after some reflecting, he can make the turnaround the club needs. 

“It was the toughest year of my life as a professional coach, so I took a lot of lessons out of that, I reflected a lot and changed some things that I am doing.

“The proof will be in the pudding.”

When it comes to his new assistants, Payten feels a different vibe with the new group of assistant coaches.

“I won't say anything that reflects negatively on the guys who were here, but it's a different feel this season," Payten said.

The biggest problems for the Cowboys start with their defence, leaking 28 points per game and 684 points across the 2025 season. 

Despite that, Payten continues his faith in his playing group. 

“We're playing finals, there's no doubt about that,” Payten said about the team's goal for this season.

“A lot of parts of our footy were way off the mark last season.

“The game is about possession.

“Our ball control was poor coming out of our own end, our discipline was poor when the opposition were coming out of their end, it put a lot of pressure on our defence and our defence fell short.

“They are the three things we have worked on a lot in the pre-season. The boys have shown a steel in them and it's been really enjoyable.

“From a fundamental and principle point of view, it simply has to improve.”