Timeless James Tamou set to claim Queensland Cup title with Townsville Blackhawks

Cowboys legend James Tamou and winger Kalifa Faifai Loa will grace fields in Townsville again this year with the pair of veterans committing to another season of Q Cup. Find out what title Tamou is set to claim.

Townsville Blackhawks player James Tamou is gearing up for another season in the Queensland Cup in 2025. Picture: Townsville Blackhawks.

Cowboys legend James Tamou and winger Kalifa Faifai-Loa will grace fields around Queensland again this year with the pair of veterans committing to another season of Hostplus Cup with the Townsville Blackhawks.

The fearsome ex-NRL stars are set to become the oldest two players in the entire competition this season after Chris McQueen (Brisbane Tigers) and Rhys Jacks (Ipswich Jets) decided not to return to Cup in 2025.

Tamou will be 36 years old when the season begins on March 8, while Faifai Loa will be 35, making them the oldest players currently registered to play this season.

Brisbane Broncos prop Martin Taupau is five days younger than Faifai Loa and will be the third-oldest player if he makes a Cup appearance in 2025.

Townsville Blackhawks player James Tamou is gearing up for another season in the Queensland Cup in 2025. Picture: Townsville Blackhawks.

Townsville Blackhawks coach Terry Campese said the pair brought invaluable experience to the squad.

“Considering we don’t get NRL players back to the club it’s always good to get NRL experience and those two guys have a lot of it,” Campese said.

“They’ll help teach our younger generation. It’s a credit to them and I think they’ve still got a lot to offer this competition.

“Especially the way they hold themselves around the club – they’re very professional and it’s good for the younger guys in the team to have people to look up to.”

Tamou won an NRL premiership with North Queensland in 2015 and went on to play more than 300 games in first grade, with a scattering of rep games that included appearances for Australia, New South Wales and the New Zealand Maori side.

Johnathan Thurston, and James Tamou of the North Queensland Cowboys pictured at Sydney airport with the Premiership Trophy after winning the 2015 NRL Grand Final against Brisbane Broncos. Picture: Braden Fastier

The powerful prop started and finished his career in Townsville, amassing 173 games for the Cowboys before retiring to Queensland Cup and joining the Blackhawks.

Tamou made 18 appearances for Townsville in 2024 and was a key part of the club’s resurgent season.

Faifai Loa made 66 NRL appearances, including 35 games for the Cowboys, across an eight-year career which included stints with St George and the Gold Coast Titans.

Campese said the winger, who scored a try against Australia in his one international cap for the Kiwis, was a huge inclusion for 2025.

Townsville Blackhawks player Kalifa Faifai Loa is gearing up for another season in the Queensland Cup in 2025. Picture: Townsville Blackhawks.

“He’s been a huge part of the club. He’s won player of the year (2018) from the wing, which very rarely happens,” Campese said.

“Just the way that he brings energy, and he’s a really good fella as well so his experience is invaluable.”

Since joining the Blackhawks in 2018, the electric outside back has played 98 games of Cup and scored 60 tries.

Faifai Loa is six games behind Kyle Laybutt for all-time Blackhawks appearances and 10 tries behind Jonathon Reuben for the most tries.

He needs just 16 points to match Reuben’s overall points tally and step into third outright in Townsville’s record books.

Originally published as Timeless James Tamou set to claim Queensland Cup title with Townsville Blackhawks