Todd Payten, the only NRL coach without a deal beyond this season, says he has no desire to coach anywhere but North Queensland, while backing Reed Mahoney to shine in a grudge match against his former club Canterbury on Friday night.
Payten’s Cowboys are chasing their sixth win from their past seven games when they take on the Bulldogs at Accor Stadium. Victory would not only keep the Cowboys in the top eight, but also boost Payten’s chances of earning a contract extension.
The club have been in no rush to table the 47-year-old premiership prop a new deal, and last year reportedly inquired about Josh Hannay taking on the top job before the former Cowboy signed with the Gold Coast.
Payten said he was prepared to address his future one last time when he landed in Sydney on Thursday, and said all he could do was ensure the playing group continued to win. He added he was mapping out the roster moving forward, “and still making decisions like I’ll be here next year”.
“I have no ambition to be anywhere else,” Payten said. “I love the town, love the club, I fell in love with the place the first month I was there, it’s been good to my family, I love coaching this team and group.”
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