North Queensland Cowboys 2025 season review
Overview
Hopes were high in Townsville this year after a 5th-placed finish and a semi-final exit in 2024, but the Cowboys were miles off it from the word go.
Three straight losses to start the season – by margins of 30, 24 and 10 points – had them on the backfoot early on, and they never really recovered.
There were some impressive wins along the way, but the Cowboys dropped out of the top eight after Round 14 and never made it back there. Another side whose season petered out to a whimper.
Highs
After those opening three defeats, the Cowboys put a four-game winning run together and looked as though they were on the way back. The run included wins over Minor Premiers Canberra and reigning Premiers Penrith, which proved North Queensland could mix it with anyone on their day.
Jaxson Purdue had a breakout year too – switching effortlessly between the centres and the halves, while Tom Dearden cemented himself as an Origin starter in 2025, and he’ll have plenty of suitors if the Cowboys continue to struggle.
Lows
Only the Titans had a worse defence than the Cowboys in 2025, which goes a long way to explaining their struggles.
In their two losses to fellow Queenslanders – The Dolphins – they conceded 58 and 43 points, while Manly and the Roosters also put 40+ on them.
Meanwhile, one-time main man Jason Taumalolo only managed 10 appearances during another injury-hit year, and with two years still to run on his $10m deal, the Cowboys may have to cut their losses to free up some cap space before the contract’s up.
2025 RLB Player of the Year – Tom Dearden
Dearden was already an established NRL player before this year, but 2025 felt like the one where he elevated himself into elite status. His performances for the Cowboys helped keep them away from the dreaded wooden spoon, but it was his two displays in Origin, which took him to new heights as he claimed the Wally Lewis Medal for Player of the Series.
Reasons to be positive in 2026
On paper at least, the Cowboys have a stronger squad than their 12th-placed finish suggests. In Tom Dearden, they have Queensland’s incumbent number 7, Jaxson Purdue should continue to go from strength to strength, while Scott Drinkwater’s one of the most underrated fullbacks in the competition.
It’s also worth pointing out, the Cowboys didn’t lose more than three games on the spin at any point in 2025, which suggests consistently rather than a lack of quality was their biggest issue.
My 2025 prediction – 6th
Final 2025 position – 12th (-6)
I was horribly off with this one, and I’ll hold my hands up. I still maintain that the Cowboys should have done better, but facts are facts and they were miles off in 2025. I’m expecting better next year though.
