Cohen Jackson signs with Brisbane Broncos

After a strong performance off the bench for Queensland in the schoolboys championships, the Broncos had seen enough of Cohen Jackson to warrant a contract offer. Read for what he believes is the key to his success.

Exciting Queensland forward and third-generation schoolboys star Cohen Jackson will be in action on Thursday.

Cohen Jackson was already realising a dream when he put on the Maroons jersey to represent Queensland in the schoolboy rugby league championship.

Little did he know it would also be the place where the Brisbane Broncos would offer him a development contract. 

Broncos’ scouts had been up to watch him play at club level for Souths Sharks and at school for Mercy College, but it was not until his strong tournament off the bench for the Queensland 15s that the arrangement was made official.

He had also garnered interest from the North Queensland Cowboys, the club he supported all his life, but the level of interest on the Broncos side outweighed all.

Two weeks into his time with the club, it is a decision he feels very confident in.

Souths Sharks and Mercy College star Cohen Jackson is a Brisbane Bronco.

“It already feels like family, they are always in contact and seeing how you are going and making sure you’re alright,” Jackson said.

“It is not just at a footy level but personal too and they help you out with school work and everything you need.

“They will fly me down once a month and I’ve got my first training on Monday with a couple of the other boys and we just stay at the clubhouse there and do all of our stuff together.”

A modest Jackson said he “could not even tell you” what drove the Broncos to offer a contract.

He described himself as a “confident and positive player”, and said his goal now was to make sure this contract was not his last.”

As for what he believes has been the most important part of his development as a player, Jackson thinks it is the support he has off-field.

“It is who you surround yourself with, your family and friends,” he said.

“As long as they have a positive mindset and everyone is willing to help you be the best you can be, you can just kind of push through it together.”

Jackson plans to stay in Mackay and complete the end of year 10 with Mercy and then year 11 and 12 with St Patrick’s College.

He is confident he will be able to balance study with his new commitments in Brisbane.

“They touch base with me and see if I need any extra help, so I reckon I’ll be alright,” he said.

Jackson has spent most of his career playing in the front row or from hooker but early signs from the Broncos suggest he will likely slot into the back row due to his smaller stature.

He said if he did end up making it to the Broncos first grade side, he was most excited by the proposition of lining up alongside Origin star Patrick Carrigan.

Jackson takes great confidence from the recent success of Mackay boys in the NRL.

He hopes he can follow in the footsteps of Reuben Cotter and Tom Dearden to become the region’s next success story.