The situation does not bode well for the forward’s Kangaroos Test hopes.
League great Greg Alexander has ruled the Cowboys out of playing finals footy this season after Thursday night’s disappointing defeat to the Dolphins. And he’s singled out Queensland State of Origin winner Reuben Cotter for specific criticism, after the Maroons back-rower continued his underwhelming club form for North Queensland.
The Cowboys were blown off the park in the 43-24 flogging by the Dolphins, who ran in seven tries to four to jump into seventh on the NRL ladder. It was another dismal defensive display from North Queensland, who have the worst record in the competition after conceding a staggering 531 points in their 18 games so far this season. That equates to an alarming average of almost 30 points against per game and heaps more pressure on coach Todd Payten.
As it currently stands, North Queensland are five points adrift of the top eight with six games to go. But Alexander said on the evidence of Thursday night’s heavy defeat and their woeful recent form, he gives them no chance of featuring in this year’s finals series.
Put a line through the Cowboys after last night, it’s the end of them,” Alexander said on SEN radio on Friday. “Even though their draw is favourable, and they still have a bye up their sleeves, I can’t see the Cowboys rallying after that.”
Reuben Cotter’s form for the Cowboys under fire
And Alexander says the form of Cotter has been particularly concerning after his impressive performances for Queensland in this year’s Origin series win. The Maroons back-rower has been nowhere near his best for the Cowboys in 2025 and is averaging just 88 run metres and less than nine hit-ups per game, from his 12 appearances in clubland this season.
Some of their players, Reuben Cotter has only had two good games, and they were both for Queensland,” Alexander said about the Maroons star. “He hasn’t done anything for the Cowboys this year. He has been very disappointing as he was again last night.”
Cotter’s form does not bode well for his hopes of selection in the Kangaroos squad for their Ashes series against England later this year. The Cowboys forward has been a mainstay in the Kangaroos squads in recent years and played in their victorious Pacific Championships campaign last year, and was part of Australia’s squad for their World Cup triumph in 2023. But he’s fallen well down the pecking order in terms of the NRL’s best back-rowers this season.
Cowboys slip further out of NRL finals contention
And it’s indicative of the struggles of the star-studded Cowboys, who had four players featuring on Thursday night against the Dolphins that played in last week’s Origin decider. Winger Murray Taulagi – who suffered a late hamstring injury – has also been a regular for the Maroons in recent years. But they are now staring down the barrel of missing the finals for a third time under Payten, having made it to the second week of the playoffs last season.
Many critics insist the Cowboys should be pushing for the top-four but Payten has been unable to get the best out of his star-studded side in 2025. And it’s left his position in serious threat, with the Cowboys slipping out of finals contention after six losses in their last seven games.
“Their defence is just terrible,” veteran NRL reporter Andrew Webster said on SEN radio. “I know they can score points and we saw that with three tries in eight minutes (against the Dolphins) but I don’t know if it’s the coach, I don’t know what’s wrong with them but they just don’t seem to be able to stop points.”
