Cowboys’ NRLW decision a game changer

Congratulations to North Queensland Cowboys’ CEO Jeff Reibel and chairman Lewis Ramsay for backing up their talk and investing in Cairns and women’s sport.

Jasmine Peters of the North Queensland Cowboys runs the ball during the Round Eight NRLW match against the Sydney Roosters at Industree Group Stadium on September 15, 2024 in Gosford, Australia. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)

Congratulations to North Queensland Cowboys’ CEO Jeff Reibel and chairman Lewis Ramsay for investing in Cairns and women’s sport, with the club set to formally announce its plans to relocate their NRLW team today.

For decades the sporting powerhouse has called our region “Cowboys country” — but those of us who live here know better.

The Far North’s Tahlulah Tillett is one of the Cowboys’ rising stars. Picture: Alix Sweeney

Former Cowboys premiership star, Johnathan Thurston is one of Tillett’s sporting heroes. (AAP Image/Dan Peled)

Setting aside their partnership with our state league team, the Northern Pride, the Cowboys have always gotten the better end of the deal.

We gave them a bounty of riches in Matty Bowen, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Ty Williams, Dallas Johnson, Jeremiah Nanai, Scott Bolton, Jake Clifford and countless more stars that fuelled much of their success.

Under the existing proposal, the facility will be available for other users, ranging from community and school groups, education and research entities and other visiting professional sporting teams.

Even fledgling talents like Murray Taulagi have been nurtured through our feeder system only to later emerge as State of Origin-level match winners.

In return, Cairns has received less than it would have liked.

The club has never hosted an NRL premiership match in the Far North despite other teams having chosen to bring top-flight footy to Barlow Park in the past.

The North Queensland Cowboys are set to formally declare their plans to re-locate their NRLW team to Cairns from the 2027 season.

Even NSW clubs like the South Sydney Rabbitohs have forged strong connections in the region, having visited Yarrabah and Cairns as part of a pre-season camp in 2022.

Heck, the Bunnies had such a good time they even came back last year and played a game against the Dragons.

Plans to establish a high performance centre in Cairns have advance significantly in recent months with Member for Cairns, Michael Healy, a key proponent for the initiative.

But a $10m investment from the Cowboys in a high performance centre within walking distance of the city’s CBD could change everything.

And given this rugby league heartland has only hosted one NRL premiership match since 2018, it’s not a moment too soon.

Sublime NRLW talents like the Cowboys’ Tahlulah Tillett who - like Johnathan Thurston before her - plays in a helmet and hands out tries like lollies, are trailblazers.

They embody what young women can achieve in a changing sporting landscape.

In turn, Cairns can play its role in levelling the playing field for female athletes and celebrate them as world-class footballers who are more than deserving of our praise and adulation.

Critics will say that the threat of a Cairns-PNG NRL bid forced the Townsville team to reassess its relationship with its northern neighbour.

That may be true.

But the club’s NRLW team is a powerful tool for change that goes beyond the playing field.

Today marks an historic new chapter in the Cowboys’ history and its relationship with Cairns.

And together, we just might do something special.

Originally published as Cowboys’ NRLW decision a game changer