The North Queensland Cowboys have finally recorded their first win of the 2025 NRL season with a hard-fought ten-point win in oppresive conditions at home.
In a win built on defence, the Cowboys finally turned a corner after three straight losses to start the year, easing some of the pressure on Payten, who appeared to be beginning to walk a somewhat familiar tightrope.
It wasn't a win without controversy though, with Coen Hess sin binned during the second half for multiple infractions despite seemingly not receiving a warning from referee Adam Gee.
Todd Payten said he would be asking for an explanation from the NRL's head of football Graham Annesley, even if he didn't disagree with the sin bin.
โI'll ask for one [an explanation] yes. I can't debate the Hess sin bin, I think it was a fair call, but the consistency part is what we are chasing," Payten said during his post-match press conference.
Just six days after Ricky Stuart questioned if the NRL referees knew their own rules, Payten didn't hold back in suggesting the Canberra coaches press conference last weekend may have had an impact on the way his side's game was officiated this weekend.
โI don't know if Ricky's press conference last week had an effect on the way it was officiated tonight, but between our defensive and the way we were defending on the tryline, it didn't seem any different to the way they were defending on their tryline," Payten said.
The Cowboys, who lost their opening three games of the year to the Manly Sea Eagles, Cronulla Sharks and Brisbane Broncos, had to scrap for their win over the Raiders, and scrambled hard in defence despite missing 44 tackles.
The Raiders simply struggled to put the Cowboys away despite having opportunities to do so, and captain Reuben Cotter said it felt like his players 'wanted it more'.
โI think we just wanted it more. It was a very gritty performance from the whole team. I'm very happy with the effort we showed the whole game, some great individual performances,โ Cotter said.
Payten said he had felt his side were close without polish last weekend before being able to pick up their first two competition points against the men in green.
โThere were some anxious moments, but I'm really proud of the team and the club and how we have stuck together I guess,โ Payten said.
โIt has been a difficult three weeks.
โTonight, we won off the back of our defence, a real gritty performance, defending with 12 there in the second half.
โReally pleased about the desire and the want to make things happen.
โIt felt like we got [the response we needed] last week [against the Broncos], we just didn't have the polish we needed when we were searching,โ Payten said when asked if his side's response to the losing start was what he had asked for."
The Cowboys, who played finals footy last year, need to get on a roll quickly if they want to repeat the dose this year, but things aren't about to get any easier with back-to-back road trips where they will clash with four-time defending premiers the Penrith Panthers at Parramatta, and the South Sydney Rabbitohs in Perth before their first bye of the year.
