Cowboys hopefuls given insight into club’s expectations

THE new North Queensland NRLW coach has made clear the standards and expectations potential Cowboys players must meet if they are to progress to the highest level.

Cowboys coach Ben Jeffries has spent much of the week in Cairns working with the Northern Pride and delivering a Cowboys Women’s Academy session to the Hostplus Cup club’s under-19s and open women’s development squads.

Jeffries has been at the forefront of the Cowboys’ women’s pathways programs for years, and with his appointment as the first coach of the Cowboys’ NRLW team, his visit adds an extra layer of importance for Pride players.

He delivered the academy session at Jones Park earlier this week, outlining the standards the Cowboys expect for players who want to pursue that opportunity, and fulfil the dream scenario of Cairns, Townsville and Mackay products playing for their home club: North Queensland.

“It’s so they have an idea how to train with intensity, what we’re looking for at the Cowboys, if they want to make it to that space,” Jeffries said.

“What we need to understand if you want to get to the highest level, if you want to be a Cowboy, there are standards and expectations that go with it. That is an ongoing process.

“They went through induction, in our mind what we’re looking for in players, educating about the expectation standards when you sign for a franchise.

“They’re young, ambitious, they will make mistakes, but there is a pathway here for them if they want it. We want North Queenslanders playing for North Queensland.”

The Cowboys are yet to formally sign players for their first NRLW season – they cannot until the CBA is sorted – but it is expected a core group of North Queensland Gold Stars will be part of that line-up.

The Gold Stars won the BMD Premiership last season, but they will play as the Mackay Cutters in 2023 after the state league licence transferred to the Sugar City club.