Todd Payten’s first season in charge of the Cowboys got off to a rough start, starting 0-4 and losing captain Michael Morgan to retirement.
The team found some form off the back off a 34-30 win over the Wests Tigers in Round 5, winning six of their next eight games to head into the bye in seventh place.
Things started to unravel after the break though, winning just one game for the remainder of the season, a come-from-behind win against the St George Illawarra Dragons in Rockhampton.
Despite the struggles on the field, a number of Cowboys made their representative debuts, with Daejarn Asi, Wiremu Greig, Esan Marsters, Emry Pere (Maori) and Reuben Cotter (Indigenous) all taking part in the season opening All Stars game in Townsville, while Kyle Feldt, Valentine Holmes, Francis Molo and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow all playing for Queensland.
Meanwhile, Cowboys youngsters Heilum Luki, Kane Bradley, Jeremiah Nanai, Griffin Neame and Laitia Moceidreke all made their NRL debuts, with Luki, Bradley, Nanai and Moceidreke all scoring in their maiden game.
Season Statistics
- Captains: Michael Morgan and Jason Taumalolo
- Coach: Todd Payten
- Principal Sponsor: Toyota
- Wins: 7, Losses: 17
- Points for: 460, Points against: 748
- Top point scorer: Valentine Holmes (126)
- Finished: 15th
- Average home crowd: 14,472
Representative Players
- Daejarn Asi, Wiremu Greig, Esan Marsters, Emry Pere: Maori All Stars
- Reuben Cotter: Indigenous All Stars
- Kyle Feldt, Valentine Holmes, Francis Molo, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow: Queensland
