The North Queensland Cowboys have secured a massive piece of their future on the cusp of the season after Todd Payten put pen-to-paper on a three-year extension.
The Cowboys completed a massive 180-degree turn last year, going from wooden spoon predictions to a top four berth and home preliminary final before a controversial loss to Parramatta.
There were question marks over the coach after finishing 15th in his maiden season at the club, blooding a number of rookies that season, which eventually came to fruition last season.
It's been a stellar fortnight for the club after netting Jeremiah Nanai's signature, tying him to the club through to the end of 2027, while Payten's deal will lock him down until at least the end of 2026.
The head coach hasn't come cheap, with News Corp reporting the extension is worth around the $3 million mark.
Club chairman Lewis Ramsay is looking forward to the further assurance Payten's extension will have on the Cowboys.
“When we appointed Todd, we were looking to create stability and continuity for our club and a young and emerging playing group,” Ramsay said in a statement to Cowboys.com.au.
“Our board was confident we were hiring the right coach to lead us into the future and he has exceeded our expectations.
“Today's announcement of the extension of Todd's contract is just reward for the vision, passion and dedication he has displayed in his two seasons as Head Coach of our club and we are thrilled he will remain at the helm until at least 2026.”
North Queensland's CEO Jeff Reibel echoed the sentiment, and assured fans that Payten has the right qualities to coach the club.
“This contract extension locks Todd in as the long-term coach of our club. Todd's ability, not only on the technical side of coaching, but also how he engages, communicates and leads our players is of the highest order and we've seen the response over the last 12 months,” Reibel said.
The Sherriff isn’t going anywhere!
— NQ Cowboys (@nthqldcowboys) February 24, 2023
“Todd's leadership, calmness and ability to relate to his players are the attributes we were searching for in a long-term coach.
“His passion for our club and our region is undeniable and is one of the driving forces behind his popularity with our members and fans.”
The North Queensland Cowboys will face the Canberra Raiders at home next Saturday as they look to build on their breakthrough season.
