NZ Warriors lock Jazz Tevaga has put his weight behind the case for Todd Payten as full-time head coach.
Payten has had the reigns of the struggling club on an interim basis, since Stephen Kearney was sacked last month, and has impressed observers with his no-nonsense approach and straight-shooting at media conferences.
Australian reports have linked Payten to the vacant role at North Queensland Cowboys, with their former coach, Paul Green, coming in the opposite direction.
But Tevaga has enjoyed his time under Payten and believes the club could thrive under his leadership.
"I have enjoyed playing under him," Tevaga says. "Hopefully, he gets the nod.
"He's straight up. If you stuff up or whatever, he’s going to tell you, you'll hear about it.
"That’s one thing I’ve enjoyed about Toddy, that he doesn’t care who you are, if you don’t perform, you’re going to get dropped. That showed last week, with Blairy [Adam Blair] being put on the bench.
"It just goes to show that he does have high standards and I’ve really enjoyed playing under him."
Tevaga's hard-nosed style of play was evident in the Warriors' gutsy 18-10 loss to the two-time defending champion Sydney Roosters on Saturday.
Tevaga and loan prop Jack Hetherington were singled out by Payten for providing sting on defence in an old-fashioned arm-wrestle.
Ultimately, the Warriors fell short, but Tevaga has credited Hetherington for standing up to one of the games most intimidating enforcers - Kiwi prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves.
"Jared is a bully and he’s been a bully for quite a long time in this game, but it was good to see Jack stand up to him.
"I love playing against Jared and I respect him, but it was good to see Jack having a crack.”
Hargreaves refused to shake Hetherington's hand and the pair almost came to blows, after Joseph Manu's match-clinching try in the 71st minute.
"I'm not sure what was said between the two, but Jack really got under his skin, which you could see in the game," says Tevaga.
"My theory is that whatever happens on the field, stays on the field. At the end of the game, you shake hands, win or lose.
"I don’t agree with the way he [Waerea-Hargreaves] went about things after the game, but Jack must have really roughed him up."
Tevaga and the Warriors travel on Friday to play Wests Tigers at the Sydney Cricket Ground, looking for their fourth win of the campaign.
Join us at 8pm Friday for live updates of the Warriors v Tigers NRL clash.
