NRL 2024: Emerging Queensland star Xavier Kerrisk played major role in Cowboys not matching Roosters’ Reece Robson bid

The Cowboys refused to match the Roosters’ $3m bid for star hooker Reece Robson, but behind their decision was one of Queensland’s best emerging talents that the club is desperate to keep.

North Queensland refused to match the Sydney Roosters’ $3 million bid for NSW Origin hooker Reece Robson because it would have cost them one of Queensland’s best young talents.

The Cowboys were only prepared to offer Robson a three-year extension because they did not want to block the development path of Mackay teenager Xavier Kerrisk.

A product of St Patrick’s College, which developed Queensland captain Daly Cherry-Evans, Kerrisk is regarded as one of the game’s brightest young No. 9 talents.

The young gun made 10 Queensland Cup appearances in 2024, starting out on the bench before making the starting hooker role his own for the final four games of the season.

He is still some time away from becoming an NRL regular, but the Cowboys wanted Kerrisk to see a pathway to first grade at his home club.

That ultimately contributed to the departure of Robson, who will return to his home state with the guarantee of four years, this time at the Bondi glamour club.

Young gun Xavier Kerrisk playing for Saint Patrick's College. Picture: Michaela Harlow

Reece Robson will leave the Cowboys for the Roosters at the end of 2025. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

Robson is set to depart the Cowboys at the end of the 2025 season to join the Roosters until at least 2029.

After missing out on Hunt to the Broncos, the Roosters zeroed in on Robson with a multimillion dollar deal that convinced him to leave the Cowboys.

Originally published as NRL 2024: Emerging Queensland star Xavier Kerrisk played major role in Cowboys not matching Roosters’ Reece Robson bid