The Cowboys started the season as one of the favourites for the wooden spoon but produced a remarkable turnaround to go from 15th in 2021 to a genuine premiership contender.
Their preliminary final loss to the Eels saw them fall agonisingly short of a first grand final since 2017, which was the last year they made the finals as they shook up the NRL world order in an impressive 2022 campaign.
Todd Payten is a deserved favourite for coach of the year for overseeing the best one season turnaround from a club in recent memory.
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Still the cruel fact is the Cowboys fell short of their ultimate goal and to be brutally honest there are still some holes in an admittedly young and developing roster.
However, given the players they have unearthed and the pride they have got back in the jersey, it is fair to say the best from this team is still in front of them.
Read on for the Cowboys’ 2022 season review.
COWBOYS SEASON REVIEW
2022 Record: W17 L7 – 70.83% win rate
Grading: A
What went right: After finishing second last in 2021 and losing 6-4 to the Bulldogs in Round 1, wooden spoon predictions were looking spot on, but the Cowboys blew them out of the water with a brilliant season to finish 22 minutes short of a grand final berth. It is no exaggeration to say that not one Cowboys player struggled for form in 2022 and every one of them found significant improvements in their games as individuals and as a team. The biggest improvement from last year was their defence after conceding a record 748 points in 2021 to finish with the second fewest points conceded in the regular season in 2022 with just 361, behind only the Panthers. The massive improvement in defence was the catalyst for turning around the identity of the club and putting an end to the laughing stock they had become in recent failed campaigns. Jason Taumalolo rediscovered his best in 2022 with some inspired performances to lead his side from the front. Co-captain Chad Townsend proved to be one of the best signings of the year, after adding polish to the Cowboys’ end of sets and instilling a calm confidence among his younger teammates, most notably halves partner Tom Dearden. The Cowboys five-eighth had a breakout season to emerge as a future superstar at club level, while his Origin debut will go down in folklore. Scott Drinkwater started the season out of the team, but took his chance after an injury to Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow to cement the fullback role and earn a long-term extension on the back of his most consistent NRL season to date. Reece Robson emerged as one of the most consistent hookers in the game and was a smokey for a Blues Origin squad call-up at one stage. Valentine Holmes made a near perfect positional switch to centre and was arguably the Cowboys’ most consistent player, while he proved a match winner at the death on multiple occasions, most notably in the final against the Sharks. Peta Hiku rediscovered his best footy at centre in his first year at the club, while wingers Kyle Feldt and Origin debutant Murray Taulagi had excellent seasons overall on the flanks. However, the pack was where the Cowboys made massive improvements in 2022. Jordan McLean wound back the clock with his best season in years to go close to an Origin debut before injury intervened. Reuben Cotter, Jeremiah Nanai and Tom Gilbert all emerged as Queensland Origin stars, while Coen Hess rediscovered his best after some mediocre seasons in recent years. Luciano Leilua was a one of the best mid-season signings after starting his three year deal at the club early and gives the Cowboys real X-factor off the bench. Tabuai-Fidow had limited opportunities in the bench role, but provided a point of difference on the pine, while Griffin Neame enhanced his reputation as a workhorse and impact player in the forwards. The Cowboys have a young roster and they will be better for the experience of 2022, so provided they can maintain their incredible work ethic under Todd Payten, who was arguably the coach of the year, even better days are ahead for this club.
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What went wrong: Given where they finished last season not a lot when wrong when you consider they earned a preliminary final in front of their home fans. But given how well they played throughout the season, the Cowboys moved the goal posts for their own expectations and will feel they let a massive opportunity to win a title or at least make a grand final slip. While the Cowboys had the second best defence in the regular season, they conceded 54 points across their two finals games and were guilty of some soft tries against the Sharks and Eels, most notably Reagan Campbell-Gillard’s double in the preliminary final. While they didn’t disgrace themselves, the Cowboys will need to tighten up their defence to the level that is required in finals footy to contend for the title in the future. The balance of the Cowboys’ bench might also need to be looked at after Tabuai-Fidow struggled to get involved from the bench utility role, while Robson could do with a breather at times as is the model for other teams with twin dummyhalf options. Feldt lost a bit of form at the back end of the season and Tabuai-Fidow might put pressure on him for a starting spot next season. The loss of Tom Gilbert to the Dolphins is frustrating, given that he debuted for the Maroons in Origin just after jumping ship to join Wayne Bennett at the NRL’s newest team and filling his role in the back row could prove tricky next season. The Cowboys are also yet to rejuvenate their squad with zero signings for 2023 and while that points to a settled squad that the club has invested in, teams that stand still in recruitment rarely get better in the NRL. Payten will be on the lookout for ways he can bring some fresh blood into his squad to increase their depth and challenge the starters to improve results and keep everyone honest next season.
What they need: The Cowboys’ roster is pretty settled and balanced, so what they really need is experience and more time in the saddle and they would have learned plenty from the 2022 season. The Cowboys’ spine had a stellar season both as individuals and as a collective, but with all due respect, with the exception of Tom Dearden, who has the potential, none of them are proven superstars. History shows premierships are rarely won by teams without at least one of the game’s elite players in their spine. The challenge for Dearden, Drinkwater and Robson is to reach that level or the Cowboys may need to improve their squad in that area in the future, as harsh as that sounds given their outstanding seasons. Replacing Tom Gilbert in the second row is a priority given how outstanding the Maroons debutant was in his final year at the club. Cotter could potentially be moved to the back row, but that opens up a spot in the front row, which will need to be filled. With Jordan McLean coming to the end of his career, despite inking an extension, the front row could be an area they look to improve their depth in to take the pressure off Jason Taumalolo being their primary ball carrier. Cotter is a workhorse and probably more suited to the No.13 role given that he interchanged with Taumalolo at times in 2022. But getting the bealance of their pack and bench right will be crucial because the Cowboys will go from the hunters to the hunted after their brilliant 2022 season.
Going: Connelly Lemuelu (Dolphins), Tom Gilbert (Dolphins).
Coming: N/A
