4. Talking Points
Is Val #1?: I don't think it's unfair to suggest that Valentine Holmes underdelivered in 2020. That may be harsh considering he spent a year out of the game chasing an NFL contract.
Reports of a contract worth around a million dollars dictate Val needs to be in the top few players in the competition. In 2020, he was not. He showed some great signs but ultimately found himself relegated to the wing before injury struck. He returned to his beastly best for QLD and the Cowboys will hope he brings that form back to club level this year.
If Holmes re-finds his 2019 Sharks form then the Cowboys are in a FAR better position to succeed.
Big Pack/New Rules: The Cowboys have the game's best big man in the game in the form of Jason Taumalolo. Simply put, they didn't get the most out of their prized asset last year with the change in rules.
He was asked to do too much and play minutes beyond what was needed. There are talks that his minutes will be cut which should see his impact return to peak. That said, he was still the best lock in the game in 2020, so the fact his impact will rise this year is pretty scary.
The Cowboys have a big pack who struggled last year under the new rules. With even stricter rules this year, it will be interesting to see if the forwards have used the off-season to adapt.
New Coach: I was shocked when the Cowboys sacked Paul Green midway through the 2020 season. I thought his Premiership win meant a gig in Townsville for as long as he wanted it. Especially given that the Cowboys have hardly been a terrible side since the 2015 triumph.
Talk has since come out that everything was far from peachy for a lot longer than we'd expect and a long search ended in Todd Payten's appointment. I love this hire. Payten knows the club well from previous stints within the coaching ranks, including his being assistant to Green in 2015.
He comes with big wraps following his short stint as Warriors interim coach and has the perfect temperament for a rebuild. Love it.
