Darren Lockyer Calls Out Jason Taumalolo Amid Cowboys Forward’s Ugly New NRL Fallout
Following the Cowboys’ humiliating 36-point drubbing by Cronulla in round seven, NRL icon Darren Lockyer has taken aim at Jason Taumalolo and the North Queensland forward pack. With coach Todd Payten starting the former Dally M Medal winner on the bench for Saturday night’s home game against Penrith, Taumalolo has paid a heavy price for the 42-6 thrashing at the hands of the ladder-leading Sharks.
This season, Taumalolo’s record 10-year, $10 million contract with the Cowboys has already drawn criticism, with some arguing the team isn’t receiving enough value out of its best player. The Cowboys forward, a three-time Dally M lock of the year and co-captain until Payten demoted him earlier this year, has been steadily declining, according to damning statistics.
Taumalolo’s primary statistics, such as run yards, tackle busts, and post contact meters, have all decreased since 2020, and his average minutes per game fell to just 49 in 2023. Taumalolo’s time on the field has drastically decreased by 2024; he is now only playing 35 minutes a game on average. To make matters worse, Griffin Neame has started in front of the 30-year-old for the match against the three-time defending premiers.
The Cowboys are in a difficult situation because Taumalolo is reportedly earning $950,000 per season and has three more years left on his massive contract following this one. Payten is reportedly attempting to keep the premiership-winning player healthy and productive at the conclusion of the campaign, but if the Cowboys are to fight for the playoffs in 2024, the coach will need more production from his star center forward.
Without injured edge forward Heilum Luki and devastating middle forward Coen Hess (who sustained an injury that ended his season), North Queensland has struggled. After putting the heat on Taumalolo and his fellow middle forwards, Maroons and Kangaroos great Lockyer remarked that what’s most worrying about the Cowboys front pack is their lack of intensity.
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