Payten labels 16 out of 17 players as a “sign of weakness” as the Cowboys’ season appears an abrupt end.

Todd Payten, the coach of the Cowboys, criticised his team’s lack of physicality and claimed that just one player on the team could be proud of their season when it ended on Saturday night. North Queensland was completely overwhelmed in a 44-12 thumping by the two-time incumbent premiers, who they had to defeat in order to advance to the finals.

Payten said that backrower Luciano Leilua was the only one of his players that was willing to fight in Penrith, calling him dirty at full time.