Zac Laybutt to play for Cowboys in 2022

Zac Laybutt is out to prove he's got what it takes to earn a call-up with the North Queensland Cowboys full-time squad. Read our full interview with him here:

Bundy’s Zac Laybutt during the Hastings Deering Colts grand final between Townsville Blackhawks and Wynnum-Manly Seagulls. Picture: Jason O'Brien/QRL Media

Hard work and determination are two things Bundy's Zac Laybutt owes to his selection with the North Queensland Cowboys Young Guns squad.

Performances in footy on the Sunshine Coast and Bundaberg eventually paid off for the 19-year-old, but it came at a price.

“I made a lot of sacrifices to get to this point,” he said.

“I moved away from my family in Bundy when I was 16 and lived with a host family on the Sunshine Coast to play footy.”

After being selected in the Cowboys Young Guns squad Zac made the move to Far North Queensland to chase his dream of playing professional football, moving in with rugby league talent and older brother, Kyle Laybutt.

“Kyle was a big factor in my move to Townsville in November last year,” he said.

“He's always been there supporting me and helping me with my footy.”

It wasn't long before Zac learnt about the hard work that came with the call-up; a rigorous weekly training routine and well-managed diet soon became his norm.

“We train at 5am, then we go to work during the day and then train again at 5pm, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday,” he said.

“In terms of diet, I've always been a tall lanky guy, so I try to eat all three meals a day to stay full so I’m not losing weight, and drink plenty of water.

“Kyle and I also bought our own gym equipment, so we gym at home together and get it done.”

As part of the elite pathway into professional footy, Zac was selected as a back to play with feeder club, the Townsville Blackhawks in the QRL, but the up-and-comer only got half way through the season when he tore his meniscus.

He was cleared to return to training with the Young Guns squad, but bad luck struck again soon after, injuring the rotator cuff in his shoulder.

Blackhawks centre Zac Laybutt during the Hastings Deering Colts grand final between Townsville Blackhawks and Wynnum-Manly Seagulls. Picture: Jason O'Brien/QRL Media

But we had not seen the last of Zac Laybutt for 2021.

After a full recovery, he made a sensational comeback on the field to finish the 2021 season, unlocking an achievement that helped steer the Blackhawks into the grand final.

“When I came back from injury, I was training well and came into the Blackhawks season and scored a hat-trick on debut,” he said.

“We ended up getting into the grand final soon after, but lost by 1.

“I finished the season with 12 games and no hiccups.”

Now, Zac has his sights set firmly on the 2022 season, where training well earns players a call-up to train with the full-time squad.

“My knee is fine, my shoulder‘s good, so hopefully I can get a full pre-season under my belt without any injuries,” he said.

“The aim is to start training with a bang, hopefully get a few sessions with the full-time squad, go through pre-season without injury, and have full guns blazing come round one next year.

“I'm ready to go.”