North Queensland will be aiming for a top four finish after bowing out in the NRL semi-finals last season.
Season Preview
2025 marks 30 years since the North Queensland Cowboys entered the competition. This current squad will be looking to emulate the heroics of Johnathan Thurston, Michael Morgan, Matt Scott and Gavin Cooper from a decade ago to win their second title.
Before they can do that, the Cowboys will be striving for consistency to move into a potential top four finish in 2025.
It was a case of the good and bad in 2024. We saw the good where the Cowboys won eight of their last ten regular matches to gain momentum into playing finals football, and the bad where in April and May they won just one of seven as they dropped to twelfth on the ladder.
An aspect of their game they need to improve on to go that one step better is their defence. Todd Payten’s men set an impressive standard in 2022 when they were just one win away from playing in the grand final when they conceded 15 points on average in the regular season. The last two seasons they’ve conceded 22 points (2023) and 23 points (2024) on average. To be genuine contenders along with the Melbourne Storm and Penrith Panthers, they must tighten their defensive structure.
Their attack has not been an issue during Payten’s reign. The challenge for the Cowboys will be how they replace the try scoring prowess of club legend Kyle Feldt and goal kicking centre Valentine Holmes. Between them, they accounted for around 33% of tries scored for the side in 2024. Zac Laybutt, Semi Valemei and Jaxson Paulo have some big shoes to fill in the quality that’s left the club.
The Cowboys have snapped up disgruntled former Wests Tigers forward John Bateman, Jaxson Paulo and Karl Lawton from the Sea Eagles. Kai O’Donnell returns from Super League after playing four matches for the Canberra Raiders in 2020. The experienced Chad Townsend and Valentine Holmes left the club Sydney-bound, while upcoming youngster Kulikefu Finefeuiaki moved to the Dolphins.
The draw favours the Cowboys around State of Origin period where they’ll play five out of seven matches at QLD Country Bank Stadium but will travel to Sydney for three of their last five, including in back-to-back weeks against the Sharks and Eels (both Sunday fixtures).
Best Signing
Embed from Getty ImagesJohn Bateman is the most likely of the new recruits to come straight into the starting side. His experience speaks for himself with success at Wigan Warriors and making it to the grand final with the Canberra Raiders in 2019. He’ll bring some aggression to the Cowboys pack but will need to adapt to the tropical conditions to have an impact in the early stages of 2025.
Key Player
Embed from Getty ImagesTom Dearden has come a long way since his departure from the Broncos in mid-2021. At the end of last season, the 23-year-old made his debut for Australia and was awarded Man of the Match in the Pacific Championship final win over Tonga. While Scott Drinkwater is the main go-to player to set up tries, Dearden’s ability to run and break the line makes him a dangerous player. He still has a lot of growth and maturity to come in his game. Perhaps 2025 will bring out the best in him.
Player to Watch
Embed from Getty ImagesZac Laybutt appears to be the incumbent centre replacement for Valentine Holmes. The Papua New Guinea international has played eight matches for the Cowboys and scored six tries. The 23-year-old has shown promise in the early stages of his career and could easily embed a regular role in the Cowboys line-up long term.
