Holmes has $3.5m back-up plan at Cowboys

NORTH Queensland have left the door ajar for Valentine Holmes to sign with the Cowboys if the Maroons Origin star fails in his ambitious NFL gamble.

The Cowboys tabled a fouryear offer worth an estimated $3.5 million just weeks before Holmes stunned the NRL fraternity by announcing his shock defection to chase his American dream.

North Queensland were rated the frontrunners to secure Holmes for the 2020 season and such was the secrecy surrounding his NFL ambitions, the Cowboys were totally unaware of any defection plan.

Holmes is so determined to crack the American market there is a possibility he may never return to rugby league, but if he fails to clinch an NFL contract, the Cowboys are keen to put out the welcome mat.

“We’re still interested in Valentine,” Cowboys general manager of football Peter Parr said. “We will be like a lot of people; we’ll sit back and watch his move to America with interest and see how it unfolds.

“We wish Valentine all the best if that’s what he wants to do. If at some stage it doesn’t work out the way Val hopes and he wants to have a look at coming back to the NRL, we’d be happy to talk to his management again.”

The big winner in Holmes’ decision is new Cowboys recruit Ben Barba.

The former Dally M golden boy has signed only a 12-month deal and was expected to be moved on if the Cowboys snared Holmes.

Now Barba, 29, has a golden opportunity to extend his future in Townsville.

“It’s a big loss (missing out on Holmes) but Benny Barba’s no slouch,” Cowboys prop Matt Scott said.