Cowboys ‘wouldn’t be doing job’ if they didn’t ask for Holmes

Cowboys CEO Jeff Reibel said the club wouldn’t be doing its job if it didn’t inquire about Valentine Holmes’ potential return to the NRL.

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Cowboys CEO Jeff Reibel said the club wouldn’t be doing its job if it didn’t inquire about Valentine Holmes’ potential return to the NRL.

Reibel addressed media at the Cowboys’ announcement of a pre-season trial against the Broncos at Barlow Park.

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Scheduled for February 22, 2020, it will be the first time the teams have faced off in the Far North.

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - AUGUST 08: Valentine Holmes #39 of the New York Jets makes a catch in the fourth quarter against the New York Giants during a preseason matchup at MetLife Stadium on August 08, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Elsa/Getty Images/AFP

The trial, which is expected to be both teams’ first hitout in the 13-man game - the NRL Nines will be held in Perth on February 15-16 - will give Cowboys coach Paul Green and Broncos counterpart Anthony Seibold their first look at the squads after a strong off-season.

It will be the first time newly-signed players will turn out for their new club, opening the door for Holmes’ Cowboys debut to take place in Cairns.

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Reibel acknowledged speculation over the flashy fullback’s return to the NRL, where he has already played 105 games for the Cronulla Sharks, five Origins for Queensland and 13 games for Australia, but said the 24-year-old was still contracted to NFL club, the New York Jets.

Valentine Holmes of Australia handles the ball during the Rugby League Test match between the Australia Kangaroos and the Tonga Mate Ma'a at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, October 20, 2018. (AAP Image/David Rowland) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

“Val is a local junior in North Queensland, and I think we wouldn’t be doing our job if we weren’t inquiring about his availability moving forward,” Reibel said.

It comes after News Corp revealed the Cowboys could save $170,000 should Holmes return after his contract at the New York Jets expires in late December.

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Formal NRL contracts start on November 1, while the Jets’ NFL season doesn’t end until December 29.

It means the Cowboys wouldn’t have to pay Holmes for two-months - about $166,000 - of a reported three-year, $3 million contract.

Holmes’ potential return to the Cowboys has added more excitement to what will be a huge moment for rugby league in Cairns.

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Johnathan Thurston of the Cowboys during the Round 16 NRL match between the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the North Queensland Cowboys at Barlow Park in Cairns, Sunday, July 1, 2018. (AAP Image/Marc McCormack) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

The Cowboys have played 16 games in Cairns in the past 18 years, while the Broncos haven’t played a game in the Far North since they were bested 6-4 by the Cairns Connection in 1991, a team comprised of some of the best players from the local competition.

The Broncos stopped by Barlow Park in 2011 for a training session on their way to a trial game against the Cowboys at Alice Springs.

Tickets will be available from Ticketlink from November 25.

Keep an eye on cairnspost.com.au for more details.

Originally published as Cowboys ‘wouldn’t be doing job’ if they didn’t ask for Holmes