NRL premiership-winner Ben Te’o has made the extraordinary prediction that Jason Taumalolo will exit the Cowboys before his 10-year contract worth $10 million expires, as a result of his strained relationship with Todd Payten.
The coach’s perplexing use of Taumalolo was a major talking point in 2021 and has continued to be this season, after the Tongan international played at prop in round one and was given just 51 minutes.
Taumalolo had originally been named to play at lock, his chief position, but he was shifted to play in the front row amid late team changes.
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Te’o believes the latest twist in the Taumalolo-Payten saga could lead to the former landing at another club before his contract expires at the end of 2027.
“All the teams out there should be looking at that situation, and maybe the Cowboys will want to move him on at some stage,” Te’o said on Triple M’s The Rush Hour with Leisel, Liam and Dobbo.
“It started off at the start of last year with Todd Payten coming out in one of his first press conferences and sort of criticising Taumalolo, and that sort of rumour has never gone away, really.”
Te’o was referencing the press conference in which Payten accused Taumalolo of “cutting corners” in round one last season.
“The fact that he is on limited minutes, he is on a big multi-year contract of a million dollars, something is going to have to give there, because at the moment Todd’s not playing him enough minutes,” Te’o added.
“Maybe he doesn’t trust Jason on the field for that long. Something needs to happen. One needs to go, maybe.”
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A feasible destination for Taumalolo is the Dolphins, who are set to play their first NRL season in 2023.
Wayne Bennett‘s men have so far secured forwards Jesse and Kenny Bromwich, Felise Kaufusi, Mark Nicholls and Ray Stone.
“I don’t think it is going to last,” Te’o said of Taumalolo’s Cowboys contract.
“They can come out in the media and say, ‘No, we are fine with Jason, he is staying here to see out his deal’, but when they get a good offer and both parties are happy, I reckon you will see him move on to another team.
“Cowboys will have to chip in a bit of cash to make it work and that’s how the world goes around in the NRL.”
Te’o described Payten’s use of Taumalolo as “bizarre”.
“He starts the game named in his usual position at lock … and then an injury comes in and they make some changes and they name him at prop,” Te’o said.
“Now, look, props and locks are pretty much the same thing; I don’t think it was necessary to change him. But what happened was he was getting prop minutes and was brought off the field for a long period of time, and I just think personally he is someone who needs to play himself fit.
“He’s just not getting enough minutes at the moment to get where he needs to.”
The Cowboys will meet the Raiders in Townsville in round two.
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