Jamal Shibasaki

Jamal Shibasaki

Personal information
Born	(2005-06-07) 7 June 2005 (age 18) Townsville, Queensland, Australia
Height	185 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Weight	105 kg (16 st 7 lb)
Playing information
Position	Second-row
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 2024– North Qld Cowboys 1 0 0 0 0
Source: [1] As of 2 June 2024

Jamal Shibasaki (born 7 June 2005) is an Australian rugby league footballer who plays as a second-rower for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League (NRL).

Background

Born in Townsville, Queensland, Shibasaki is of Torres Strait Islander and Japanese descent. ^[2] He is the younger brother of South Sydney Rabbitohs player Gehamat Shibasaki. ^[3]

He played his junior rugby league for Townsville Brothers and attended Ignatius Park College before being signed by the Brisbane Broncos. ^{[4] [5] [6]}

Playing career

Early career

In 2021, Shibasaki played for the Townsville Blackhawks in the under-16 Cyril Connell Challenge competition, scoring four tries in four games. ^[7] In 2022, he moved up to their under-18 Mal Meninga Cup side, starting at second-row in their Grand Final loss to the Souths Logan Magpies. ^[8] In September 2022, Shibasaki signed with the North Queensland Cowboys. ^{[9] [10]}

In 2023, he began the year captaining the Blackhawks' Mal Meninga Cup side, being named the competition's Player of the Year at the end of the season. ^{[11] [12]}

In May 2023, Shibasaki, aged just 17 years and 339 days, made his Queensland Cup debut for the Blackhawks in their 54–4 win over the PNG Hunters. ^[13] In July 2023, he represented Queensland under-19, coming off the bench in their loss to New South Wales. ^[14] On 17 September 2023, he started at second-row in Townsville's under-21 Colts Grand Final win over the Brisbane Tigers. ^[15]

2024

Shibasaki joined the Cowboys' NRL squad ahead of the 2024 season. ^[16] He began the season playing for the Mackay Cutters in the Queensland Cup. ^[17]

In Round 13 of the 2024 NRL season, he made his NRL debut off the bench against the Sydney Roosters. ^[18]

References

1. Rugby League Project
2. "The destiny that led to Gehamat Shibasaki's NRL debut for the Brisbane Broncos". National Rugby League. 8 August 2018.
3. "Get to know our young players ahead of Sunday's trial". NQ Cowboys. 15 February 2024.
4. "Brisbane Broncos pinch son of a gun from North Queensland Cowboys". Courier Mail. 24 November 2021.
5. "Spoils shared in junior rugby league deciders". Courier Mail. 17 September 2018.
6. "Ignatius Park's Jamal Shibasaki draws on brother ahead of positional switch". Courier Mail. 10 June 2021.
7. "'What a weapon!' - Jamal Shibasaki". QRL. 15 March 2021.
8. "QRL U18 Mal Meninga Cup - 2022 Round 3". LeagueUnlimited. 8 March 2022.
9. "New Cowboy Gehamat Shibasaki's heartwarming reason for signing". Townsville Bulletin. 18 November 2022.
10. "Shibasaki signs for 2023". NQ Cowboys. 15 November 2022.
11. "Mal Meninga Cup Player of the Year Jamal Shibasaki". QRL. 16 September 2023.
12. "2023 QRL U18 Auswide Bank Mal Meninga Cup Preliminary Finals". LeagueUnlimited. 15 April 2023.
13. "Townsville Blackhawks 54 def. Papua New Guinea Hunters 4". Rugby League Project. 12 May 2023.
14. "Queensland Under 19 team named". QRL. 3 July 2023.
15. "Nine Cowboys named for Sunday's U21s Grand Final". NQ Cowboys. 15 September 2023.
16. "Cowboys promote seven from Pathways program to NRL squad for 2024". NQ Cowboys. 24 October 2023.
17. "Q-Cup stats: Cowboys combine for 1,188 running metres". NQ Cowboys. 18 March 2024.
18. "Cowboys team list: Round 13 v Roosters". NQ Cowboys. 28 May 2024.

External links

• North Queensland Cowboys profile