‘They will be shellshocked’: Billy Slater puts blowtorch on Cowboys after round one ‘reality check’
Three league greats have questioned if the Cowboys have adopted a fighting mentality after the club was handed a harsh “reality check” by the Sea Eagles in round one.
North Queensland were on the receiving-end of Manly’s electric run at Brookvale Oval on Saturday, as the visitors crumbled to a damaging 42-12 defeat.
The visitors had made almost three times the amount of tackles as their rivals at one point in the first half before going on to give away nine penalties.
Having entered the match off the back of an impressive victory over the Storm in the pre-season challenge, coach Todd Payten was quick to put his players on notice.
The 46-year-old, who has been in charge of the Cowboys since 2021, conceded that he had asked his team a question that did not require an immediate answer after the result.
The context of the question remains unknown but Billy Slater believes it would likely be related to the level of commitment each player is willing to give for the club to succeed.
“I don’t think that question will have anything to do with their talent or the ability they have,” he said on Nine’s Billy Slater Podcast.
“It will be more around the want and commitment to the game and how much they are willing to put in and sacrifice and commit to that tough side of the game. If you’re not there and not committed to the tough side of the game, you will get blown away.
“I think they will be shellshocked … it’s a bit of a reality check for them.
“After the way that they trialled, they would have went into this game thinking really positively and that really sat them back in their seat.”
One aspect of Payten’s post-match press conference left some within the game a little bit perplexed was when the coach called to question his team’s preparations.
Broncos great Corey Parker acknowledged that while the players should be held accountable for the performance, Payten may need to take some of the blame.
“This is round one of a 27-round season … (and) the head coach is talking about how his team isn’t physically or mentally prepared enough,” Parker said on SENQ Breakfast.
“They were absolutely obliterated. They were blown off the park and the coach asked his players in the press conference after the game to have a look at their preparation.
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“They’ve had three months of preparation. This is where you should be jumping out of your skin to go and play a game of rugby league.
“To dish up what they did was unacceptable. The coach has to scratch his head, put his hand up and take some ownership. The players have to take accountability but Todd Payten has to have his team (ready).
“They did not turn up (and) you would think that after three months of pre-season training, you would turn up with a different mindset and attitude.
“It was absolute rubbish for what they can do.”
Penrith great Greg Alexander said the Cowboys attended the event as “spectators” but was optimistic the result could be an outlier in their campaign.
“It was 16-0 after 10 minutes – the game was done,” Alexander added.
“The Cowboys were spectators and they just watched it happen. I got to the end of the game and I thought, ‘Were the Cowboys really that bad or were Manly really good?’
“I think the Cowboys still have a bit left in them. I’m willing to give them another go.”
