The Cowboys have received a welcome boost ahead of their opening trial contest following the news that back-rower Heilum Luki will remain in Townsville for another three seasons.
The 20-year-old made the decision to reject offers to join the Knights and will instead add to his 11 games for the club from the far north.
Since debuting in Round 11, the second-rower crossed the line on three occasions and ran for 90 or more metres four times.
Second-row
Tackles Made
Tries
Tackle Breaks
As a Cairns-born prospect, obtaining Luki's signature will also be seen as another boon for Todd Payten's previously struggling side which broke the bank to lure Luciano Leilua to Queensland Country Bank Stadium.
“We are thrilled to finalise Heilum’s extension,” Cowboys General Manager of Football Micheal Luck said on the announcement of Luki's new deal.
“Heilum encapsulates why this club was built. He’s a local junior who came through the grades with the Northern Pride and then graduated to the NRL here at the Cowboys.
“He made a promising start to his career last year and has progressed even further in the off season and we’re really excited about not only what he can do for us this year, but right through until the end of 2025 and hopefully beyond.”
Luck and Payten will be hoping for the positive retention trend to continue given teenaged sensation Jeremiah Nanai is being hunted fiercely in the marketplace.
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The Cowboys will also enter their 28th season in the competition with key names such as Jordan McLean and Jake Granville approaching the end of their deals.
Luki, Payten and North Queensland are set to face South Sydney and Brisbane in trial contests across the next month before their season proper commences with a Round 1 battle against the Bulldogs on Sunday, March 13.
It would be interesting to know what they paid for his services. It’s the aim of every Recruitment & Retention committee to spot a developing talent and lock him in early, but too often we see them pay far too much for promise and get let down by subsequent performance.
It’s especially the case with young halves (Sandow, Taylor, Milford etc, etc) who seem to think that a big contract has confirmed them as the next Thurston and all they have to do now is to worry about how to spend it. This kid is a second row forward, not playing in a highly visible, glamorous position, so he may have his head screwed on.
As long as the club hasn’t offered him a ridiculous sum, which will give him ideas way above his station, then this looks a sensible decision.
Sometimes a juicy contract will stop a player’s development dead in its tracks.