As the saying goes in rugby league, where there is smoke, there is fire.

A bombshell report surfaced late last week suggesting North Queensland Cowboys fullback Scott Drinkwater is no guarantee to be offered a new contract at the club beyond the end of 2027.

On the surface, that seems like an incredibly easy call to make on a player who has been among the best fullbacks in the game in recent times, often single-handedly providing the attacking force for Todd Payten's struggling outfit.

But the Cowboys have struggled, Payten is a man under enormous pressure, and so any potential roster shake ups would potentially make a lot of sense for the Townsville-based outfit.

Drinkwater, who is Sydney-born but has also played in Melbourne, would be unlikely to want to hang around at the Cowboys in 2027 if push came to shove, and he knew his deal wasn't being extended.

The Cowboys would also be looking for salary cap flexibility at a time where they have few contracted players beyond the end of 2026 and could, if they chose too, totally revamp their roster.

It's absolutely conceivable that Scott Drinkwater is about to head into his final season as a Cowboy, but where could he land?

The market for fullbacks is skinny, but that's with good reason. There are few clubs that are desperate for a replacement, with the position one of the most oversubscribed with top tier talent anywhere in the NRL.

Regardless, here are the clubs who could line up for a crack at the Cowboys star, whether it be for 2027 or 2028.

3. New Zealand Warriors

The Warriors are an intriguing club in this situation.

Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad is the current fullback, Taine Tuaupiki is the back-up, and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck doesn't look out of place there either.

But Andrew Webster showed his cards in 2025.

He has no issue playing Nicoll-Klokstad in the centres if it's for the good of the team, Tuaupiki is surely odds on to leave at the end of his current contract, and Tuivasa-Sheck is approaching the end of his career.

That could leave an enormous vacancy at the back for a Warriors team who aren't that far away from competing for a premiership.

Could Drinkwater be the answer?

2 COMMENTS

  1. Newcastle – No money
    Dragons – No need (in the timeframe we are talking about)
    Roosters – No need (in the timeframe we are talking about)
    Melbourne – maybe, but they’ve got SuaFalogo pencilled in and Nick Meaney who could do the job.
    Perth – makes sense. They have the need and the money.
    Warriors aren’t as desperate as Perth, but they will need a new F/B sooner rather than later.

    • Knights don’t have a want either. Even if Ponga left this time even though he didn’t the 20 other times he was reportedly leaving they would move Sharpe to fullback with Brown and Smith in the halves. Out of all those guys only Ponga will become available soon and if he does go they wont be signing another first grade fullback they’ll be looking at either forwards or a 7 if Smith doesn’t work out