Pressure is mounting on Todd Payten but the Cowboys coach isn\u2019t letting it get to him despite another \u201cdisappointing\u201d loss.<\/p>\n
The Cowboys\u2019 finals hopes are all but dashed after a 43-24 loss to the Dolphins on Thursday night. It was their third-straight loss and they could drop as low as second last on the ladder by the end of the weekend, pending other results.<\/p>\n
It couldn\u2019t have come at a worse time given the noise around Payten\u2019s future at the club is getting louder.<\/p>\n
FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer ><\/a><\/p>\n Dolphins chasing 1st finals birth | 06:44<\/p>\n Cowboys CEO Jeff Reibel has publicly backed Payten but that hasn\u2019t hosed down speculation that his job is on the line. <\/p>\n Payten, however, isn\u2019t fazed by the noise.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s part of the business I\u2019m understanding of that,\u201d he said when asked about the pressure.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve got myself to a point where I don\u2019t give that any energy. It hasn\u2019t always been the case, but through experience, my focus goes into getting this team right and what we\u2019re doing day to day. <\/p>\n \u201cAnd then when I\u2019m away from here I\u2019m getting better and being more present with my family. That\u2019s my two focuses at the moment and that won\u2019t change.\u201d<\/p>\n The Cowboys were blown off the park in the first 50 minutes of the game, conceding 34 points. They clawed their way back into the contest with three tries in eight minutes but the damage was already done. <\/p>\n \u201cVery disappointing seeing the points that we did (concede) in that first 40. It put us under far too much pressure and it was too much to chase down,\u201d Payten said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe showed a heap of fight, got ourselves back in the game but a couple of costly moments with 12 or 13 minutes to go quelled anything that we were putting together.\u201d<\/p>\n MORE NRL NEWS<\/p>\n RUN HOME: Unthinkable push could shake up four; who wins in four-way finals fight<\/a><\/p>\n \u2018HOW DOES HE WANT TO BE REMEMBERED?\u2019: DCE\u2019s Manly legacy on the line<\/a><\/p>\n \u2018DESERVES TO BE ON WORLD STAGE\u2019: Knights legend\u2019s stunning take on Ponga<\/a><\/p>\n