Newly appointed North Queensland Cowboys co-captain Reuben Cotter has heaped praise on his side’s young core, including budding star Heilum Luki ahead of the 2024 season.
After an extremely disappointing 2023, the Cowboys have opted for a more youthful approach to both the squad and leadership ranks.
The veteran duo of Chad Townsend and Jason Taumalolo were pushed to the side in favour of Tom Dearden and Cotter, but it seems the youth movement won’t stop at that.
Luki, along with fellow young guns Tom Chester and Thomas Duffy look set to assert themselves in the shuffle for regular first-grade football and could be on the brink of stardom this season.
“(Luki has come back) really good, (he’s) pretty fit,” Cotter told SEN 1170 The Run Home.
“Heilum is going really well, he’ll be pushing for an Origin jersey this year I reckon.
“He’s been training great, excited for Round One to come.”
Meanwhile, 20-year-old halfback Duffy looks to be the Cowboys' next big thing and very well could push for his first-grade debut in 2024.
After representing Queensland last year in the u/19s State of Origin series, Duffy has had high wraps on his future and is the obvious successor to Chad Townsend’s No.7 jersey.
“He’s been training the house down in the halves, he’s a natural halfback,” Cotter added.
“He’s good at talking, he’s very vocal, he’s been training well and I dare say around Origin time he might even get a crack.
“He’s one to look out for and young Tommy Chester, I’ll give him a wrap, he had a knee injury early on last year but he’s been training the house down.
“He’s ready to go.”
Cotter will make his debut as club captain on Sunday February 18th in a preseason game against the Brisbane Broncos.