Title lure key for Cowboys fullback
SCOTT Drinkwater has revealed how his belief in North Queensland’s premiership ambitions convinced him to knock back interest from the Broncos and sign a $3m mega deal with the Cowboys.
Drinkwater will be a key backfield weapon for the Cowboys when he squares off against star Brisbane recruit Reece Walsh in Friday night’s derby blockbuster at Suncorp Stadium.
In the corresponding XXXX derby 12 months ago, Drinkwater didn’t even feature at Suncorp as he languished in the Queensland Cup, stuck behind the flying Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow with his future in limbo in Townsville.
With no guarantee of dislodging the ‘Hammer’, Drinkwater feared he would be squeezed out, prompting his management to make inquiries with a number of NRL rivals, including the Broncos, who had yet to sign Walsh from the Warriors.
But when Tabuai-Fidow succumbed to injury after the opening month, the door of opportunity gloriously swung open for Drinkwater, who produced the best form burst of his career to propel the Cowboys to the preliminary final.
His magical incursions from the back prompted the Cowboys to reward Drinkwater with a five-year extension.
“When the Hammer was going well at fullback, I was a little bit worried,” Drinkwater said. “The team was going well and after a month you don’t change a winning team.
“There were thoughts I might have to move on and find a new club. I didn’t really want to leave the Cowboys.
“I had been here a couple of years, I love living in Townsville and I thought if there’s a place I want to be to win a premiership, it’s the Cowboys.”