The North Queensland Toyota Cowboys kick off their 2025 campaign with a home trial against The Dolphins at Barlow Park in Cairns tomorrow night.
The Cowboys team contains some of the club’s most exciting prospects and below we take a closer look at some of the players Cowboys fans will see in action.
Mutua Brown
A product of Innisfail, located 88km south of Cairns, Friday’s game will be a homecoming for Brown. An elusive fullback, gifted with rare speed, Brown was an Australian Schoolboy in 2023.
Asi Lenoy
Raised on Palm Island, Lenoy attended boarding school in Charters Towers before relocating to Townsville to join the Cowboys Young Guns. Lenoy spent the pre-Christmas period training with the NRL squad and will again be part of the Young Guns program in 2025.
Zac Herdegen
Herdegen quickly made a name for himself in his first pre-season in North Queensland by beating Tom Dearden’s 1.2km shuttle run club record. A former Queensland Schoolboy, Herdegen is a talented half with a booming left boot.
Mason Kira
A 2024 Queensland Under 19s representative, Kira is an aggressive forward who can play either middle or edge. He joins the NRL squad full-time in 2025 after making a Queensland Cup debut late last season.
Emarly Bitungane
Bitungane is entering his second season in the NRL squad and will be pushing for a top grade debut in 2025. The powerfully built middle forward was one of the Northern Pride’s best during the 2024 Queensland Cup season.
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Get to know: Emarly Bitungane
Xavier Kerrisk
A standout schoolboy who came through the same St Partick’s College team as Jaxon Purdue, Kerrisk enters his first season in the NRL squad. The crafty dummy half became a Queensland Cup regular in the second half of the 2024 season.
Nic Lenaz
A former Manly Jersey Flegg captain, Lenaz joined the Cowboys on a train and trial deal for the pre-season and eventually secured himself a full-time contract for 2025. Powerfully built, Lenaz can play either middle forward or dummy half.
Jeremiah Mata’utia
A towering Kiwi product, Mata’utia spent the previous two seasons in the Young Guns before graduating to the NRL squad for 2025. Mata’utia has the ability to play either middle or edge forward.
Matt Watts
An imposing middle forward from Mackay, Watts has spent the pre-season with the NRL squad. Watts will be looking to become a regular with the Cutters at Queensland Cup level in 2025.
Pride contracted players:
Esom Ioka, Jarrett Subloo, Adrian Treviliyan, Campbell Duffy, Dane Aukafolau
Cutters contracted players:
John Radel, Rayden Burns, Brenton Baira, Ryan Rivett
