Billy Slater Issues Stark Warning to Cowboys After Round One ‘Reality Check’

Three legends of the league have raised concerns about whether the Cowboys possess a fighting mentality, following what they termed a harsh “reality check” administered by the Sea Eagles in round one.

The North Queensland team faced a tough outing at Brookvale Oval on Saturday, succumbing to a heavy 42-12 defeat at the hands of Manly.

At one stage in the first half, the Cowboys were tasked with making nearly three times as many tackles as their opponents, before ultimately conceding nine penalties throughout the match.

Having entered the game buoyed by an impressive pre-season victory over the Storm, coach Todd Payten wasted no time in sending a strong message to his players.

The 46-year-old, who has been at the helm of the Cowboys since 2021, admitted he posed a question to his team that didn’t require an immediate response after the disappointing result.

While the specifics of the inquiry remain unclear, Billy Slater speculated it likely pertained to the commitment level each player is ready to invest for the team’s success.

“I doubt the question relates to their talent or ability,” Slater remarked on Nine’s Billy Slater Podcast.

“It’s probably more about their desire and dedication to the game, and how much they are willing to sacrifice and commit to the challenging aspects of the game. If you aren’t fully engaged in the tougher side of the sport, you will get blown away.

“I believe they’ll be a bit shell-shocked … this is certainly a wake-up call for them.

“Given how well they performed in the trials, they likely entered the game feeling very positive, and this result certainly brought them back to reality.”

One point from Payten’s post-match press conference perplexed some observers when he questioned the team’s preparation ahead of the match.

Broncos great Corey Parker acknowledged that while players need to be held accountable, Payten also bears some of the responsibility.

“We’re only in round one of a 27-round season … and the head coach is talking about how his team isn’t physically or mentally prepared,” Parker stated on SENQ Breakfast.

“They were thoroughly outclassed. They were blown off the park, and yet the coach asked his players during the press conference to reflect on their preparation.

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“They’ve had three months of training—this is when you should be itching to play a game of rugby league.

“To put in a performance like that is unacceptable. The coach needs to take a hard look at himself and accept his share of the blame. The players must also step up, but Todd Payten has to ensure his team is ready.

“They absolutely did not show up (and) you would think that after three months of pre-season training they would have arrived with a different mindset and attitude.

“What they delivered was completely unacceptable given their potential.”

Penrith legend Greg Alexander observed that the Cowboys seemed to attend the match as “spectators,” but remained hopeful that this result might be an anomaly in their season.

“It was 16-0 within the first ten minutes—essentially game over,” Alexander stated.

“The Cowboys appeared to be mere onlookers, just watching it unfold. By the end of the match, I wondered whether the Cowboys were genuinely that poor or if Manly were just that good.

“I still believe the Cowboys have more to give. I’m willing to give them another shot.”