VOTE: Your favourite North Queensland Cowboys NRL player of 2024
It was another rollercoaster year for Cowboys fans, and as the season nears its end it’s time to decide which player has been the fan-favourite in 2024. VOTE IN OUR POLL NOW.
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It was another rollercoaster year for Cowboys fans, and as the season nears its end it’s time to decide which player has been the fan-favourite in 2024.
Read more about the 27 players who made NRL appearances this year and vote for your favourite below.
Players have been listed alphabetically.
*Statistics and games played are based on pre-round 27 numbers
BRAIDON BURNS
Burns joined the club on a mid-season transfer and was an instant hit for North Queensland, adding vital depth to the outside back stocks.
The Dubbo-born NRL journeyman scored five tries in four appearances, including at least one in each game.
TOM CHESTER
Chester returned from a horror injury in 2023 to recapture his best form with the Northern Pride in the Q Cup.
The local Townsville talent made four Cowboys appearances at centre, scoring a try against Parramatta in round 6.
JAKE CLIFFORD
The Tully Tigers junior made his long-awaited Cowboys comeback as an injury replacement for Chad Townsend in round 9, returning during the Origin period to cover Tom Dearden before usurping Townsend for the No.7 jersey in round 24.
Clifford recently signed a 12-month extension to stay with the club in 2025.
REUBEN COTTER
The inspirational middle forward became North Queensland’s co-captain this year and cemented himself as one of the squad’s most integral members.
Cotter is one of eight Cowboys to reach the 20-game mark this season, scoring two tries along the way.
TOM DEARDEN
North Queensland’s other co-captain has become one of the NRL’s top rated halves and at 23 years of age his best is likely still to come.
The Cowboys have locked in Dearden for at least the next five seasons and it’s scary to think what he could become.
SCOTT DRINKWATER
Drinkwater is the only Cowboys player to start all 23 games so far this season. The crafty fullback is second in the NRL for try assists (27) while crossing the chalk himself on nine occasions.
HARRY EDWARDS
Edwards has been a mainstay in the matchday squad since joining the club on a mid-season transfer. A versatile forward who can play in the middle, on an edge or at dummy half, Edwards’ toughness on the field has made him a popular teammate.
KYLE FELDT
What a resurgence 2024 has been for ‘Feldty’. The veteran winger shrugged off a subpar season to show everyone there’s still plenty left in the tank.
Feldt set a new personal best for tryscoring, reaching 20 tries for the first time in his career to join Matt Bowen, Matt Sing and Ashley Graham as the only Cowboys to achieve the rare feat.
KULIKEFU FINEFEUIAKI
One of the most under-sung players in the Cowboys engine room, Finefeuiaki has quietly gone about his business and didn’t miss a game until round 26 when a thumb injury ruled him out late against Melbourne.
It’s easy to forget the Auckland-born Tongan is still only 20, and with 34 NRL games already under his belt he could have a massive future in the game.
JACK GOSIEWSKI
Gosiewski played five games for the Cowboys between rounds 3 and 7 before a move to Brisbane on compassionate grounds
JAKE GRANVILLE
The oldest Cowboys player was robbed of the farewell he deserved by a pectoral injury, but Granville still achieved life member status this year after playing his 200th game for the club. Widely regarded as one of the toughest to ever don a Cowboys jersey, Granville’s legacy will live on for many years to come.
VALENTINE HOLMES
Holmes has been a regular standout for the club, shaking off a slow start to become one of the Cowboys’ best attacking weapons. Holmes leads the NRL in scoring and is one of the competition’s most accurate goalkickers.
ZAC LAYBUTT
Laybutt burst onto the NRL scene late in 2023 and picked up where he left off to start this season with two tries in four games. But a devastating injury cut the rookie’s year short and the promising outside back will have a big pre-season in his targets.
HEILUM LUKI
Luki made his 50th Cowboys appearance this year and was called into the Queensland State of Origin camp after being earmarked by Billy Slater as a star of the future. The big backrower adds great versatility to the squad with his ability to play minutes in the middle and more than hold his own.
SAM McINTYRE
North Queensland’s new Mr. Fix-It has quickly become a favourite of Todd Payten’s with his impressive versatility, durability and reliability.
The soft-spoken forward leads with his actions and provides additional ballplaying to the middle of the field, and he is one of three Cowboys to feature in every game this year.
JORDAN McLEAN
Another forward who probably doesn’t get the recognition he deserves, McLean has started all 20 of his appearances in 2024, laying the platform for success with his powerful carries and gritty defence.
McLean has reached the 20-game mark for the Cowboys in four consecutive seasons, proving his toughness and resilience.
TOM MIKAELE
Mikaele has been a popular acquisition for the Cowboys, delighting fans with his barnstorming runs off the back fence and his propensity to find a late offload.
JEREMIAH NANAI
The 2022 Dally M rookie and second rower of the year has continued to get better with each season in the NRL. Nanai suffered a bout of ‘second year syndrome’ in 2023 as he struggled to put up the same incredible numbers as the previous season, but he has enjoyed a sensational year once again with 13 tries coming from 20 appearances.
GRIFFIN NEAME
Neame is the third Cowboys player to feature in every game this season, alongside Scott Drinkwater and Sam McIntyre.
Typically inserted into the match from the interchange, the imposing New Zealander has made a name for himself as one of the NRL’s premier young props.
JAXON PURDUE
Purdue grabbed his NRL opportunity with both hands and is rightfully one of the team’s brightest prospects. While he played all his junior footy in the halves, Purdue has spent most of his time in first grade as a centre while also filling in at fullback.
The Mackay product has since turned 19 after making his debut in round 13, and has scored two tries in his nine NRL appearances.
REECE ROBSON
Robson was rewarded for his good form with another NSW call-up in 2024, playing all three games for the Blues in a series-winning side.
The reliable 80-minute hooker is one of the first players picked every week and his influence on the team cannot be understated.
JAMAL SHIBASAKI
North Queensland’s second teenage debutant this season, Shibasaki came off the bench in a memorable victory over the Sydney Roosters in round 13.
The Ignatius Park College graduate scored eight tries for the Mackay Cutters in Q Cup and shapes as the most likely to claim Kulikefu Finefeuiaki’s bench spot in 2025.
MURRAY TAULAGI
Taulagi has achieved a level of consistency where he can influence a game without getting on the scoresheet.
The Queensland Maroons and Toa Samoa winger is a fantastic finisher and does plenty of work from his own half eating up metres early in the tackle count.
JASON TAUMALOLO
Regardless of what punters say about his contract, Taumalolo has long been and will continue to be one of the club’s most valuable assets.
Taumalolo has been named the Cowboys player of the year on six occasions – twice more than Johnathan Thurston – and his impact on the team goes well beyond what he delivers on the field each week.
This season Taumalolo reached the 20-game mark for just the second time since 2018, only missing three games recently after fracturing his cheekbone, and he is well on his way to achieving 300 NRL appearances all with the Cowboys.
CHAD TOWNSEND
Townsend came to the club in 2022 and helped the Cowboys turn a new leaf, playing almost every game since his arrival. The veteran playmaker knows how to steer a team around and he has helped shape halves partner Tom Dearden into one of rugby league’s most exciting youngsters.
Townsend will depart the Cowboys at the end of the season.
VILIAMI VAILEA
Vailea still flies under the radar of some Cowboys fans but it’s clear that his talent is not overlooked by Todd Payten.
The 21-year-old Tongan has started every game since he came into the side in round 9 when Tom Chester injured his hamstring, forming a fearsome combination with Kyle Feldt on the right edge.
SEMI VALEMEI
Valemei scored nine tries in nine games last season after joining the club on a mid-season transfer from the Raiders, but has only had limited NRL opportunities in 2024.
The strong and stocky Fijian winger was reliable when called into first grade but did most of his damage in the Q Cup where he scored five tries for Mackay in nine matches.
Originally published as VOTE: Your favourite North Queensland Cowboys NRL player of 2024
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