NRL 2024 scouting report: North Queensland Cowboys’ burning issues, likely debutants, recruitment

Unable to hit the free agency market to fix their issues from a disappointing 2023 season, the Cowboys might have unearthed another future star straight out of their burgeoning pathways.

Marly Bitungane during pre-season training with the Cowboys. Picture: Alix Sweeney

North Queensland have had to look within for answers to the problems that derailed their 2023 NRL campaign.

With their money spent retaining priority players on an increasingly tight salary cap, the Cowboys have been quiet in the free agency market.

Instead, coach Todd Payten and his troops are spending the pre-season rediscovering what made them preliminary finalists a year earlier.

PETER BADEL looks at the issues facing the Cowboys ahead of their 2024 season.

2023 RICH 100 REPS: Jason Taumalolo (20, $950,000), Valentine Holmes (24, $875,000), Luciano Leilua (52, $725,000), Chad Townsend (61, $700,000), Coen Hess (99, $550,000), Jeremiah Nanai (101, $550,000)

North Queensland’s lone 2024 recruit, outside back Viliami Vailea. Picture: Alix Sweeney

FREE AGENCY WRAP AND RATING

After some shrewd purchasing in recent years, the Cowboys have kept their salary-cap powder dry. They have gone into the market just once, purchasing Viliami Vailea from the Warriors to help fill the right-centre void created by Peta Hiku’s move to England. The Cowboys have also lost 2015 premiership prop James Tamou to retirement, rising forward Riley Price – the son of Bulldogs legend Steve – has joined Penrith, while Mitch Dunn, Ben Hampton, Brendan Elliot and Gehamat Shibasaki have been released. As a result, the Cowboys’ depth chart looks a little skinny.

RATING: D

Cowboys coach Todd Payten. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

COACH STATUS AND SAFETY RATING: TODD PAYTEN (2026)

One of the code’s promising emerging coaches, Payten received a contract extension until the end of 2026 after the Cowboys’ fairytale preliminary final campaign in 2022. But North Queensland’s free fall to 11th spot last season brings the 2022 NRL coach of the year back to the field.

The 44-year-old is well and truly safe for 2024 but another poor season and the pressure will be back on Payten to get the Cowboys rolling at a time when their premiership window is open.

SAFETY RATING: B

LIKELY DEBUTANT

Emarly Bitungane: A member of the Cowboys Young Guns program, Bitungane has been called up for the trial against The Dolphins. An athletic middle forward, Bitungane trained with the NRL side in the pre-Christmas block. Bitungane played in a trial against the Dolphins last season and the Cowboys have high hopes of the explosive ball runner breaking into the NRL in 2024.

Emarly Bitungane during pre-season training. Picture: Alix Sweeney

WHO TAKES THE NEXT STEP: SCOTT DRINKWATER

It seems crazy to suggest as much given that Drinkwater is a proven NRL performer, but for the Cowboys to win the premiership, the classy fullback must go to another level.

At 26, Drinkwater is in the prime of his career and he’s the one player at the Cowboys with the natural flair, vision and skill to be a genuine contender for the Dally M Medal.

‘Drinky’ produced some spellbinding displays in 2023, but with only 94 career games under his belt, the NSW Origin hopeful can easily find another gear to become one of the truly elite players in the code.

BURNING ISSUES

1. Is Chad Townsend on his last legs?

The 2016 Cronulla premiership winner has been an outstanding purchase at halfback, but Father Time waits for no man and it’s creeping up on Townsend.

The co-captain turns 33 in the New Year and goes into 2024 off-contract in what shapes as his swan song season in the NRL.

The Cowboys not only need Townsend to stay fit, but they also need his form to avoid going south.

Veteran halfback Chad Townsend. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

2. It’s time for the real Jason Taumalolo to stand up

For two of the past three seasons, the Cowboys champion has been ravaged by injury and with each mediocre season, the whispers about whether his record 10-year, $10 million deal was a poor investment will become a roar.

Taumalolo had stints on the bench last season and the Tongan torpedo will be primed to prove he is still one of the code’s premier No.13s.

3. Do the Cowboys ‘pack’ a punch up front?

North Queensland’s forward unit has some question marks. Jordan McLean is 32 next season, young gun Jeremiah Nanai had an injury-plagued 2023 and Luciano Leilua has yet to deliver on his potential after arriving from the Wests Tigers.

Super sub Jake Granville turns 35 and is close to retirement.

For the Cowboys to truly challenge for the premiership, they must muscle up as a unit and help Queensland Origin ironman Reuben Cotter.

Can Jason Taumalolo and the Cowboys forwards pack a punch in 2024? Picture: Alix Sweeney

CRYSTAL BALL

The Cowboys are as hard a side to read as any in the league. After a dream year in 2022, they crashed and burned badly last season and the heat is on coach Todd Payten to get the Cowboys back in the title hunt. Halfback Chad Townsend is a year older and there are question marks in key positions. They have the talent to be a top-six side but a realistic finish is eighth or ninth.

FINISH THE LAST FIVE YEARS

2023: 11th

2022: 3rd (eliminated in third week of finals)

2021: 15th

2020: 14th

2019: 13th

2024 TAB odds

Premiership: $19

Minor premiership: $21

To make grand final: $6.50

Top four: $3.25

Top eight: $1.65

Most losses: $41