COWBOYS HAVE NO REGRETS ON LEILUA
THE Cowboys insist they have no plans to release incoming Wests Tigers forward Luciano Leilua and will honour his $2.1m deal to join North Queensland next season.
The Cowboys have been the surprise packets of the 2022 premiership with rookie back-rowers Jeremiah Nanai, Heilum Luki and Tom Gilbert playing key roles in the club’s stunning surge into the top four.
That has fuelled speculation the Cowboys may no longer require the services of back-rower Leilua, who faces his future club in the North Queensland-Wests Tigers Magic Round clash on Sunday at Suncorp Stadium.
Cowboys football boss Micheal Luck said the club had no regrets about the $700,000-a-season deal for Leilua.
“We have every intention of honouring our deal with Luciano,” Luck said. “We will lose a good player in Tom Gilbert to the Dolphins, but we’re getting another good back-rower in Luciano Leilua.”
Luck also rubbished suggestions in-form fullback Scott Drinkwater could follow Gilbert to the Dolphins. The NRL’s 17th team have made inquiries about signing Drinkwater, who is offcontract next year, but the Cowboys have ruled out an early release.
“The Dolphins might be keen on Drinky, but he is on contract here for another year,” Luck said.
“There’s no way we are letting him go … he can play multiple positions so we want to keep him here.”