1. Todd Payten was born on 18 January 1979 and is an Australian professional rugby league coach who is the head coach of the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League and former professional rugby league footballer.
17 Facts About Todd Payten
1. 2.
Todd Payten previously coached the New Zealand Warriors for the 2020 NRL season.
3.
Todd Payten played two games for the Raiders that year and represented the New South Wales under-17 team.
4.
Todd Payten played 18 games for the Roosters in his lone season at the club, missing their run to the Grand Final after suffering a foot injury in their Round 23 win over the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
5.
In 2010, Todd Payten was named in the Australian train-on squad for the Four Nations.
6.
Todd Payten took no further part in the season, and missed games at the start of 2011 with knee and ankle problems.
7.
In June 2011, prior to the Tigers' Round 13 game against the Newcastle Knights, Todd Payten announced that he would retire at the end of the season.
8.
Todd Payten returned from injury to make six more appearances off the bench towards the end of the season, but was unable to participate in the finals due to another injury.
9.
Shortly after his retirement in 2011, Todd Payten was announced as the head coach of the Wests Tigers NYC team for 2012.
10.
Todd Payten coached the side again 2013, before moving into an assistant coaches role with the Tigers' NRL side in 2014.
11.
In October 2014, Todd Payten joined the North Queensland Cowboys as their NYC head coach for the 2015 season and assistant to head coach Paul Green's NRL side.
12.
Todd Payten remained on the North Queensland coaching staff until 2018, including their run to the 2017 Grand Final.
13.
On 8 August 2018, Todd Payten signed with the New Zealand Warriors as an assistant coach for the 2019 season, replacing his former Raiders' teammate Andrew McFadden.
14.
On 20 June 2020, Todd Payten was appointed interim head coach of the New Zealand Warriors following the sacking of Stephen Kearney.
15.
Todd Payten was later offered the role on a full-time basis, but declined.
16.
Under Todd Payten they won six of their last 14 games and finished four points outside the top 8.
17.
On 24 February 2023, Todd Payten signed a three-year contract extension to remain as North Queensland head coach until the end of 2026.