NRL signings: Jeremiah Nanai chased by five clubs, Cowboys re-sign Heilum Luki
After scoring one major contract win, the Cowboys are now battling a multimillion-dollar bidding war for their 18-year-old star.
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The Cowboys have won a fierce bidding war for one of North Queensland’s hottest prospects with boom back-rower Heilum Luki rejecting several offers to remain in Townsville.
News Corp can reveal Luki formally agreed to terms on Thursday night to a three-year extension which will keep the blockbusting 20-year-old at the Cowboys until the end of 2025.
Luki’s management has officially notified the club he is staying loyal. The Cowboys will hold a press conference this afternoon to announce Luki’s new deal.
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North Queensland are under siege for their best young talents with Luki having fielded offers from four NRL rivals, including the Dolphins, Knights and Tigers, while back-row teammate Jeremiah Nanai has interest from five clubs.
The off-contract Nanai, still just 18, has yet to finalise his future, but Luki is under lock-and-key in a major retention strike for the Cowboys, who are determined to keep their Academy stars in North Queensland.
The 103kg Luki is a strapping figure with powerful ball-running ability and underlined his potential with three tries from 11 games in his rookie NRL season last year.
Having secured Luki, the Cowboys will now ramp-up plans to extend Nanai.
The Cowboys remain confident of retaining the back-row sensation, with North Queensland captain Jason Taumalolo urging the club to do everything possible to keep the young gun in Townsville for the long haul.
“He has raised a few eyebrows since he first got here. Looking at him, I hold him in high regard as the player we can build a club around,” Taumalolo said.
“That’s how good he is. The Cowboys are lucky enough to have him here in their ranks and I think Jeremiah will be a star of the future alongside Heilum and Tommy Dearden.
“Jeremiah is a special kid, he can do special things and he will have a long future in the game.”
It is understood NRL suitors have tabled deals worth around $500,000 a season for the four-game NRL rookie, but the Cowboys have hit back, kicking off retention talks with Nanai’s management.
“There’s a lot of hype and talk around Jeremiah but we don’t want to get involved in it,” said Nanai’s manager Sam Ayoub.
“We will deal with teams as we deem necessary and at this stage we are not rushing into anything.
“Jeremiah is a very humble young man and he is enjoying his time at the Cowboys, so we’ll let him focus on his football this season.”
Following four consecutive bottom four finishes, the Cowboys have enlisted club legend Matt Scott to mentor their emerging leaders.
Scott has cast his eye over Nanai and Luki and said they were two of the club’s most exciting prospects.
“Heilum Luki and Nanai are two guys that we will be asking a lot of as a team,” Scott said.
“Physically and the way they are as young kids coming through is pretty exciting.
“There is a lot to like with the young guys coming through.”
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