Little Known Fact About Cowboys Young Gun

Look up Jaxon Purdue's profile on the official Cowboys website and it will say he is a specialist halfback. And that's what makes the 19-year-old's efforts this season playing in the centres quite special. With Jake Clifford and Tom Dearden firmly entrenched in the two halfback spots, the teenager has re-invented himself as a centre - and wow! The local junior from Mackay has scored six tries in his past six games - and it was his try against the Titans that broke an 18-all deadlock and put the Cowboys on track for a big win. The rookie also made two line breaks on Saturday night and looks to be improving with every game.

Vegas hangover the least of jet-setting worries

It's not the longest first two rounds of travel in league history that worries the Sharks most leading into the weekend. Instead, it's more the possibility of the bounce-back factor of the Cowboys that players are wary of. Cronulla have drawn the short straw in the draw, starting off in Las Vegas against the reigning premiers Penrith, before another mammoth journey to Townsville on Saturday. "It's a lot of travelling but I think we have it under control," Sharks forward Teig Wilton told Wide World of Sports. "Having the weekend off last week helped and our preparation has been different to the past. It was disappointing to lose to Penrith in the USA. "They are a great team and four-time premiers for a reason. We put up a good showing against them and took plenty of positives out of our performance." Wilton admits he is concerned at taking on a Cowboys team licking their wounds after a first-up 42-12 thrashing at the hands of Manly. "They will be out to prove a point, especially back home for the first time this season," the hard-working back-rower said. "They are a good team and will be up for it. "We know we are in for a hard game and need to be at our best." Todd Payten has already made a big call after the loss, with star Jeremiah Nanai axed and set to play reserve grade this weekend.

Two stars under the pump after Cowboys 'over achieved'

There's little doubt that the Cowboys over-achieved last season - plenty of pundits had them near the bottom of the ladder this time 12 months ago, yet they made the finals and bowed out in the second week. But having lost their three most experienced backs - Valentine Holmes, Chad Townsend and Kyle Feldt - and failing to sign any big names to replace them, life could be tougher this time around. They do still have classy fullback Scott Drinkwater, who was second in the league for try assists in 2024, and if he can stay healthy, the points will come. However it's vital that with Townsend gone, the new-look halves combination of Tom Dearden and Jake Clifford clicks. Dearden is a class act and one of the game's best pivots, but Clifford still has some inconsistencies in his game that need to be fixed. Clifford will be kept honest by Jaxon Purdue and Tom Duffy, who are both in the mix for a spot in the 17. The points won't flow as freely without the three big- name departures, but there is enough class there to worry rival defences if Drinkwater is again so lethal. Scoring wasn't really a problem for the Cowboys last season - defence was more their Achilles heel. They had the worst points differential of the teams in the finals, due mainly to some heavy defeats throughout the year. The pack has been boosted by three experienced campaigners - Karl Lawton (Sea Eagles), Kai O'Donnell (Leigh Leopards) and John Bateman (Wests Tigers). I thought Bateman had a fair year in a struggling Tigers side last season and early reports on O'Donnell are very positive. In co-captain Reuben Cotter, the Cowboys have one of the most inspirational and hard-working forwards in the NRL and he will keep the rest of the pack honest.

2025 gains: Karl Lawton (Sea Eagles), Kai O'Donnell (Leigh Leopards), Jaxson Paulo (Sea Eagles), John Bateman (Wests Tigers).

2025 losses: Kulikefu Finefeuiaki (Dolphins), Chad Townsend (Roosters), Jake Granville (released), Kyle Feldt (St Helens), Valentine Holmes (Dragons), Jamayne Taunoa-Brown (retired), D'Jazirhae Pua'avase (Sea Eagles).

'No Rush' for unsigned cowboys veteran

Jordan McLean turns 33 next week - is unsigned for 2025 - but is confident of landing a new deal with the Cowboys in coming weeks. The big prop is approaching 150 games with the club after five seasons with the Storm and was among Todd Payten's most consistent performers in 2024. "I would love to stick around for another season or two," McLean told Wide World of Sports. "The body feels good and I'm in no rush - hopefully we can work something out soon. "It feels like home up here - I love the place."

'Crazy' finals stat sparks thorny Cowboys' question

The Cowboys were a far more polished team in 2024 than last year, jumping from an under-achieving 11th place to the second round of the finals. But their performance in the finals was well below their best and leaves Todd Payten with plenty to think about over the summer. They limped over the line against a depleted Knights side in finals week one and then were well and truly outgunned by the Sharks in week two. The Cowboys were too slow out of the blocks last weekend, trailing 24-0 at halftime before a brief rally - but realistically were never going to haul back such a big lead. The team missed 50 tackles - a crazy amount in an elimination game - and several observers raised question marks about the fitness of the squad. The other major worry for the Cowboys is that they are losing their two most experienced backs - and the duo who posted most of their points. After a glittering career at the club, Kyle Feldt is off to St Helens while Val Holmes is joining the Dragons. Together, the pair posted 346 of the Cowboys' 657 points - more than the rest of the squad put together! So Payten is going to have to find players with points in them to replace the prolific duo over the summer. Lack of consistency was another problem - mid-season they lost seven of eight games before getting their act together and scraping into the finals. Fullback Scott Drinkwater had a great year, with 26 try assists, second only to the Dragons' Ben Hunt. He also had most line break assists in the league, popping up all over the field to send his supports away. Throw in the 10 tries he scored and he was the Cowboys' rock. Feldt finished his Cowboys career with an impressive 23 tries, with Holmes not far behind on 16. Feldt's fellow winger Murray Taulagi touched down for 11 tries and often ran his team out of trouble, giving the Cowboys a back three equal to any in the comp. Tom Dearden had his best ever season at five-eighth, running the attack and felling rampaging forwards twice his size week after week. Calm, composed and talented, he is the future of the Cowboys. His halves partner Chad Townsend fell out of favour late in the season and Jake Clifford will be the man in the hot seat in 2025.

Cowboys: 2023 finish: 11th | 2024 finish: 5th

2025 gains: Karl Lawton (Manly Sea Eagles, 2026), Kai O'Donnell (Leigh Leopards, 2026)

2025 losses: Kyle Feldt (St Helens Saints), Kulikefu Finefeuiaki (The Dolphins), Jack Gosiewski (Brisbane Broncos), Valentine Holmes (St George Illawarra Dragons), Chad Townsend (Sydney Roosters), Jake Granville (TBC).

Cowboys Silence The Doubters

Someone made the mistake of doubting the mental and physical toughness of the Cowboys in the lead-up to Saturday night's epic sudden death clash with the Knights - and it didn't go down well. The Cowboys were off their game for much of an enthralling contest, but battled back from a 12-4 half time deficit to somehow triumph 28-16. And coach Todd Payten put much of the fightback down to the criticism of his players. "There's been a couple of question marks about our toughness but I think we've answered that," Payten said after the win. The Knights, with Kalyn Ponga in rare form, dominated much of a brutal game, but just couldn't put the Cowboys away. And as the heat and humidity of the far north began to take its toll on the visitors, the Cowboys pounced. Big forwards Heilum Luki and Jordan McLean were outstanding in the Cowboys' fightback - but Payten knows they will have to be much better next weekend if they are to stay in the title race.

Cowboys' Scrappy Win Raises Concerns Ahead of Finals

Has a team ever played so poorly as the Cowboys on Thursday night - yet somehow clocked up 38 points and got the win? It's just as well for the Cowboys that the Storm rested 10 players and lost Ryan Papenhuyzen and Marin Seve in the space of 90 seconds in the first half because otherwise, they would have thumped a listless North Queensland team. The Cowboys went into the game thinking they would win easily and were quickly brought back to earth by the 'spare parts' Storm outfit. Coach Todd Payten is certain to give his troops a blast this week for their attitude - they conceded 30 points and had 46 missed tackles, with fullback Scott Drinkwater, half Jake Clifford and lock Reuben Cotter all missing six. They do that in the finals and they will go straight out the back door.

What Lockyer thought of bold Cowboys axing

Maroons legend Darren Lockyer has explained why he understood Cowboys coach Todd Payten's brave captaincy shake-up after the side's convincing 43-18 win over the Dolphins. North Queensland went into last season as many experts' tip for the premiership but were bitterly disappointing, finishing 11th. Payten then showed he wasn't afraid to make the tough decisions, axing Jason Taumololo and Chad Townsend as captains before replacing them with Tom Dearden and Reuben Cotter. Explaining his decision at the time, Payten revealed the startled reaction of his former captains. "To be honest they were a little bit surprised, but they understood where I was coming from," Payten told Triple M. "Both those guys have shown great humility around the decision and they're willing and want us to be successful, and Tom and Reubes successful and they're gonna to give them all the support for us to get there." Cotter and Dearden started their captaincy career off with a win as North Queensland blew the Dolphins off the park. Lockyer applauded the decision made by Payten as it showed dividends very early in the season. "You could understand why Todd has made Tommy Dearden and Reuben Cotter captains, because of their attitudes and what they bring," he said on Wide World of Sports' QLDER.

Club icon 'under pressure' amid young gun's rise

The Cowboys haven't panicked in the off-season despite their fall from NRL finalists in 2022 to also-rans last year. Todd Payten knows he has the talent in his young squad to climb their way out of the hole they dug for themselves in 2023. Several rookies who suffered from the dreaded second-year syndrome should return to their best after an intense summer's training. Only one regular first grader has left the club - centre Peta Hiku - and his best football was probably behind him. His departure will allow Zac Laybutt, who looked sharp in his four games in his rookie season, to grab a regular spot out wide and showcase his speed and talent. Last weekend's trial showed that bulky backrower Kulikefu Finefeuiaki will be right in contention for a spot in the 17 - he ran with power and purpose against the Broncos and was rewarded with a fine solo try. Jake Clifford returns to the club after stints with the Knights and Hull FC and is a far more polished playmaker than the kid who debuted as a 20-year-old in 2018. Veteran and favourite son Kyle Feldt will be under pressure to keep his wing spot, with young flyer Semi Valemei nipping at his heels. It's a big year for veteran halfback Chad Townsend, who is coming off contract and needs to show he is worthy of a new deal for 2025. Tongan tornado Jason Taumalolo didn't have his best season in 2023 and Payten has acknowledged this, taking the captaincy off him so he can concentrate on getting his own game right. Enigmatic backrower Luciano Leilua is still on the books, at this stage, but looks certain to move on before kick-off to either the Raiders or Dragons.

'What they needed': Thurston backs coach's big call

As Johnathan Thurston sits eating a hot cross bun, he's reflective on the big changes the North Queensland Cowboys have made. Many predicted them to be premiership winners last year, but for a variety of reasons it was a spectacular failure, finishing 11th. Now there's new captains, assistant coaches and a new environment in the club that Thurston believes was needed. "There's been a lot of change actually, while there's still the same squad, the coaching staff has changed, with James Maloney as an assistant there and Justin Morgan so they'll have different styles and structures they'll look to implement into the team," he told Wide World of Sports. "I think that's what they needed, they needed a freshen up and will certainly get that with James Maloney there. "I went on a tour with Jimmy so I know what he brings, he's a winner, he's a winner wherever he's gone and that's what he'll want to instill into the young people at the Cowboys." A larrikin and notoriously not the hardest trainer, Maloney's persona was famous throughout his playing career. To think he'd become an assistant coach wouldn't have been expected for a number of people. Reminded of that successful Kangaroos 2016 Four Nations tour, Thurston was asked if he ever thought Maloney would end up in a coaching role. His trademark laugh accompanied his pondering the question for a good five seconds. "He's always had the football brain and football nous to be a coach," he said. "You don't want to take personality traits away from people, you want to hone them in the right way and having spent time with Jimmy up there he's started to put his mark on the team." Maloney's injection into the Cowboys set-up comes as half Tom Dearden and forward Reuben Cotter take over the co-captaincy role from Chad Townsend and Jason Taumololo.

Cowboys' summer roster mission

The Cowboys are still looking for a couple of players to add to their roster before summer training begins.Coach Todd Payten is on the lookout for a prop and a centre to complete the club's top-grade squad.To date, the club has signed just one player - Viliami Vailea (Warriors) - while having lost James Tamou (retired), Peta Hiku (Hull KR), Mitch Dunn (released), Ben Hampton (released), Brendan Elliot (released), Riley Price (Panthers) and Gehamat Shibasaki (released).Payten will be promoting several of the club's young up-and-comers but is on the lookout for a bit more experience to replace the players who are leaving.

Cowboys winger makes history with dream debut

Semi Valemei barely rated a line in the press when he switched from the Raiders to the Cowboys recently.But the powerful winger wrote his way into the Cowboys record books in his very first game as North Queensland thumped Melbourne 45-20 on Sunday.Valemei became the first Cowboy to score a hat-trick in his club debut - and against one of the NRL's best teams as well.Big and strong, Valemei couldn't get a start in Canberra so moved to Townsville and was given a start ahead of club legend Kyle Feldt by coach Todd Payten this week.Valemei repaid the faith with an eye-catching performance, running for more than 150 metres as well as bagging his three tries.

Cowboys hit rock bottom

Where does Todd Payten go from here after Saturday night's thumping at Leichhardt?A Tigers team that couldn't trouble the scoreboard attendant the previous week against Souths trampled his Cowboys 66-18 in a result that shocked the rugby league world.The Cowboys missed a worrying 54 tackles - many simple one-on -one drop offs.Heilum Luki, who many see as a future representative player, led the way with eight misses.In attack, the Cowboys were similarly inept - the only forward to run for 100 metres was Luciano Leilua - and he was playing his first game in nine months!The Cowboys looked to have turned the corner in recent weeks after a poor start to the season - but Leichhardt was rock bottom.