Contracts on hold for Cowboys

The Cowboys have 11 players off-contract beyond this year and a further three (Jordan Mclean, Ben Hampton and Corey Jensen) with player options to stay at the club.

Veterans Gavin Cooper and John Asiata are among the group fighting to prove they are worthy of new deals as the Cowboys attempt to bounce back into title contention.

The Cowboys slumped to 14th spot on the NRL ladder last year after finishing 13th in 2018.

“You can’t sugar-coat a bitter pill,” Parr said.

“We’ve had two seasons where we’ve run closer to the bottom than the top.

“Our desire at this club has always been to retain our players rather than recruit. Those players will be given first opportunity to put their best foot forward and play some decent footy. Contracts have a habit of looking after themselves.

“We won’t be looking to do anything from a contract point of view until we’ve played some football.”

The Cowboys have undergone a seismic shift in their playing roster since losing the 2017 NRL Grand Final.

Legends Matt Scott and Thurston have departed over the past two years along with the likes of Antonio Winterstein, Scott Bolton, Lachlan Coote and Ethan Lowe.

The time has arrived for players like Shane Wright, Reuben Cotter and Mitch Dunn to prove they are longterm NRL players.

“There’s no doubt we’re in a transition stage, we have been for the last couple of years with so many experienced and great players leaving,” Parr said.

“Having said that, we’ve got a lot of confidence in some of the guys we’ve brought into the club.”