‘Built like a robot’: Origin dilemma approaches as gun’s fuel revealed

Cowboys coach Todd Payten admits he could be faced with a selection conundrum in the coming weeks, as he seeks to balance his players’ State of Origin workload with a late finals charge.

A stunning three-week resurgence against NRL heavyweights Melbourne, Penrith and now South Sydney has revived North Queensland’s season – they sit just one win outside the top eight.

The club’s Origin contingent of Reuben Cotter, Murray Taulagi, Valentine Holmes, Jeremiah Nanai and Reece Robson all backed up for Sunday’s 31-6 triumph over the Rabbitohs, although Robson was taken off the field with 15 minutes to go after he cited hamstring tightness.

Payten said injury management would become crucial to his side’s chances of overturning a slow start to the campaign, and he confirmed star lock Jason Taumalolo would return for Saturday’s battle with the Tigers after being a late withdrawal due to a minor hamstring concern.

“We don’t win if they don’t back up. We’re going to have to be smart with what we do with the Origin boys this week,” Payten said.

“Where we sat on the ladder just gave us no alternative. The fact we need to win takes away the flexibility teams further up the ladder have.

“The top 12 teams are really tight; injuries play a big part in it. Form and momentum over the past 15 years for some teams at the right time of the year have become really important and a big part of why they go on to win the competition.”

Given Taumalolo’s injury-plagued campaign - getting through just one match on his comeback from knee surgery before being sidelined again - the onus could fall on Cotter to take an even greater role in the Cowboys’ title quest.

The 24-year-old has overcome a career start that was marred by setbacks - back-to-back ACL tears before making his NRL debut, followed by a Lisfranc (foot dislocation) surgery in 2021 - to establish himself as one of the NRL’s leading forwards.

Cotter played 58 minutes off the bench on Sunday - running for 122 metres while making 21 tackles in another tireless display - and how his workload is managed, given his history, could be one factor that determines whether the Cowboys come to the finals fore or see their season lay to waste.

But his Cowboys and Maroons teammate Taulagi - who insisted he was always going to back up from Queensland duties, and scored against the Rabbitohs to prove it - believed Cotter’s attitude would ensure he remained a core part of the club’s ambitions.

“He is built like a robot … he epitomises what it is to be a Queenslander,” Taulagi said.

“Some players can slack off before their rehab – it’s not easy to go into rehab every day and put in the work.

“I’ve witnessed Reubs in rehab and he’s the guy who comes into the room, brightens up the room no matter the situation. He did his ACL twice in back-to-back years but put a smile on his face every day.

“He’s a resilient player and I think it’s all paying off for him now.”