Squad breakdown: Analysing 2023 Cowboys train-and-trial players Julian Christian; Kyle Schneider; Adam Cook

Three North Queensland footballers have been granted a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to break into the NRL with the Cowboys in 2023: An ex-schoolboy sensation, a journeyman and a Scot.

Three North Queensland footballers have been granted a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to break into the NRL with the Cowboys in 2023.

Former Townsville schoolboy footy standouts Julian Christian (Kirwan SHS) and Adam Cook (Ignatius Park College) have returned to town on NRL train-and-trial contracts alongside Scotland World Cup hooker Kyle Schneider, of the Mackay Cutters.

The trio will earn $1,000 per week while completing a pre-season block with Todd Payten’s squad before becoming eligible for NRL selection from Round 10 in 2023.

Meet our newest Cowboys below and find every player on an NRL train and trial contract in 2023 at the bottom of this story.

COWBOYS 2023 TRAIN AND TRIAL PLAYERS

Julian Christian, fullback

Northern Pride fullback Christian, 24, was the first North Queenslander to win the Peter Sterling Medal as Australia’s most outstanding schoolboy, earning comparisons to Dally M winner Preston Campbell from Sterling himself as he presented the award in 2015.

The diminutive fullback dazzled in Kirwan’s run to the national championship that season, claiming the Sam Thaiday Medal as the school’s player of the year and again in 2016 before signing with the Broncos.

The Cairns product is the only player to win back-to-back MVP awards at the North Queensland talent nursery, a feat not even school greats Jason Taumalolo and Jeremiah Nanai matched.

Julian Christian played for Cairns in 2022. Picture: Brendan Radke

Christian’s school coach Dave Ackers believes the Cowboys are the perfect team to reignite the former teen sensation’s NRL career, after failing to fire in Brisbane.

“I was talking to him only a week ago and he was telling me how excited he was to move down here again,” Ackers said.

“The Cowboys have got one of the best teams in the comp at the moment with a good coaching staff and I’m sure they’ll take him to the next level over this pre-season.”

Julian Christian ahead of Kirwan’s 2015 national championship game. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Ackers recalled a five-eighth who defied the limitations of his size to lead Kirwan to national glory at the age of 17.

“He could do things on the football field that most kids couldn’t,” Ackers said.

“His skill level was sensational, from reading numbers to chip-and-chasing in the national final to put the game away.

“He went down to Brisbane’s Under-20s and starting playing a different brand of football in the Queensland Cup for Ipswich, which suited the Jets but I’m not sure if it suited his career path. On a more structured team I think he would flourish because he was best when using a structure around him to go off-the-cuff.

“Hopefully he can show the Cowboys that he’s cut out for that day-to-day life of a professional footballer.”

Adam Cook, halfback

Charters Towers product and former Ignatius College halfback Adam Cook, 21, is another local junior returning home for an opportunity with the Cowboys.

Adam Cook training with the Canberra Raiders

North Queensland will be Cook’s third NRL club having debuted for the Raiders in 2020 as a 19-year-old before joining the Warriors on a train-and-trial deal last pre-season.

Christian Quabba, Cook’s former mentor in Townsville, said the Cowboys had scored a playmaker whose work ethic would blow them away.

“He was a real competitor and he was willing to go away and work on his game tirelessly,” Cook’s 2017 Ignatius Park coach said.

“I’ve got plenty of memories of having to turn the lights out and telling him to go home because he wanted to spend several hours after training kicking and catching.

“He’s done a number of NRL pre-seasons now and I think he’s well-equipped to make the most of his chance. He’ll certainly bring some competitiveness, a desire to work hard and a good left-foot kick. If he’s got that they can work on the rest.”

Adam Cook with his father Gary while playing for Ignatius Park College

Kyle Schneider, hooker

Joining Cook for the Cowboys pre-season will be his Cutters hooker Kyle Schneider, a 22-year-old former Parramatta Eels development player and Australian Schoolboys rep who featured in all three matches for Scotland at the Rugby League World Cup.

Schneider was dumped by the Eels in 2020 along with their entire junior academy as part of Covid cost-slashing efforts, leaving the youngster to migrate north in search of gametime.

He found it at the Cutters under coach Dave Elliott.

Kyle Schneider of Scotland during the Rugby League World Cup. Picture: Getty Images

“He was on a development contract through Covid and was one of those guys that sort of got lost in that period. He did a lot of training and not a lot of playing and that’s how he found his way to the Cutters,” Elliott said.

“He’s a tremendous young man and still only 22 at the moment. He’s very diligent in his pass selection, his cues to run are very good. He’s still working on his game because he’s a very young player but with the likes of Reece Robson and Jake Granville there I’m sure he will take a lot away.”

Elliott said Parramatta’s loss through Covid could be the Cowboys’ gain as the youngster catches up on lost development opportunities in a full-time system.

North Queensland’s first players return to pre-season on November 14 before finals starters and World Cup veterans return closer to Christmas.

Every NRL Train and Trial Contract 2023

Originally published as Squad breakdown: Analysing 2023 Cowboys train-and-trial players Julian Christian; Kyle Schneider; Adam Cook