Coach’s hilarious response as North Queensland Cowboys star welcomes new baby hours before breakthrough win over Dragons

North Queensland Cowboys enforcer Reuben Cotter has welcomed his third child just hours before helping his side to a breakthrough win over the Dragons in Townsville.

The Cowboys ensured their season still has a faint pulse with the tense 38-32 win, courtesy of a Tom Dearden masterclass.

But Queensland Maroons and Australian Kangaroos star Cotter also aimed up, playing on likely very little sleep after the birth of his third child, daughter Pippi Ray.

Cotter now has three children with his wife Mackenzie, including son Banks and daughter Sunny – who is a regular at Cowboys home matches.

Cotter was named Sports Dad of the Year in 2024 and said while it was challenging raising young kids and juggling a footy career, he wouldn’t change it for the world.

‘While nothing can completely prepare you for fatherhood, the discipline and routine from the sport definitely help,’ he said at the time.

Cotter, who is also a Queensland and Australian representative player, now has three children with wife Mackenzie

‘Seeing [Sunny] smile after the game and sharing those moments with her on the field is incredibly special.’ 

Mackenzie announced the arrival of Pippi Ray on Instagram in the early hours of Friday morning, with the Cowboys playing at 6pm that night.

Cotter took his place in the team and had nine carries for just shy of 100 metres, including 42 post-contact metres along with a staggering 41 tackles without a single miss.

There was a hilarious moment in the post-match media conference, though, when a reporter asked if Cotter was going to take a couple of days off following the birth.

Coach Todd Payten slowly shook his head, as the room erupted in laughter.

‘I don’t know. Straight into it again?’ Cotter asked Payten.

‘No mate. See you in the morning,’ the Cowboys coach replied.

Cotter added that he had to block out the exciting family news to focus on getting his side a much-needed win.

Cowboys coach Todd Payten finally found a reason to smile and crack a joke as his side ended a long losing skid

‘I try not to think about it too much I just try and focus on my job for the team,’ he said.

‘Obviously enjoyed yesterday but we had a job to do today and we obviously needed the win so I locked in on my role for the team.’

The victory keeps the Cowboys’ slim NRL finals hopes alive, leapfrogging the Dragons into 11th place, five points outside the top eight with five matches to play.

The Cowboys have the bye in the final round. 

It wasn’t pretty for the Cowboys, but it was a welcome relief for Payten’s men, just their second win in their past eight starts.

Meanwhile, the Dragons have now won just one of their past seven and sit in 12th place, six points outside the top eight.

With six games to go, five of which are against teams currently in the top eight, they may well see 2025 as a season of ‘what if”, having suffered seven defeats by six points or less, and staring down the barrel of no finals for a seventh consecutive year.