The Australian rugby league team North Queensland Cowboys and individual team members have won a variety of titles and honours since their foundation in 1995. The club has appeared in three grand finals of the National Rugby League premiership, winning in 2015, and has reached the finals ten times. Individual player awards include the Paul Bowman Medal and other honours awarded annually by the club itself and by external bodies, such as the Rugby League World Golden Boot Award which has gone to the Cowboys' Johnathan Thurston three times.
Year | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|
2015 | Brisbane Broncos | 17–16 |
Year | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|
2005 | Wests Tigers | 16–30 |
2017 | Melbourne Storm | 6–34 |
None
Each year the Paul Bowman Medal is awarded to the Cowboys' best and fairest player of the season. The medal was named after Bowman, following his retirement in 2007.
Year | Nat | Winner | Position |
---|---|---|---|
1995 | Paul Galea | Lock | |
1996 | Martin Locke | Prop | |
1997 | Ian Roberts | Prop | |
1998 | Scott Mahon | Fullback | |
1999 | Barry Buchanan | - | |
2000 | Cowboys' Supporters Team | - | |
2001 | Peter Jones | Second-row | |
2002 | Martin Locke | Prop | |
2003 | Ty Williams | Wing | |
2004 | Dave Roberts | - | |
2005 | Rod Jensen | Second-row | |
2006 | Glen Murphy | - | |
2007 | | Nicole Balanzategui Tim Nugent | - |
2008 | Aaron Payne | Hooker | |
2009 | Clint Amos | Hooker | |
2010 | Jeff Reibel | - | |
2011 | Gavin Cooper | Second-row | |
2012 | Johnathan Thurston | Five-eighth | |
2013 | Kevin Marty | - | |
2014 | Ashton Sims | Prop | |
2015 | Glenn Hall | Second-row | |
2016 | John Asiata | Prop | |
2017 | | Scott Bolton Ray Thompson | Prop Halfback |
2018 | Johnathan Thurston | Halfback | |
2019 | Ben Hampton | Wing | |
2020 | John Asiata | Prop | |
2021 | Ben Hampton | Halfback | |
2022 | Tom Gilbert | Second-row | |
2023 | James Tamou | Prop | |
2024 | Coen Hess | Prop |
The Most Improved Award was replaced by the Coach's Award in 2017.
Year | Nat | Winner | Position |
---|---|---|---|
2017 | Michael Morgan | Halfback | |
2018 | Kyle Feldt | Wing | |
2019 | Francis Molo | Prop | |
2020 | Mitchell Dunn | Second-row |
The Coach's Award was replaced by the Cowboys Way award in 2021.
Year | Nat | Winner | Position |
---|---|---|---|
2021 | Jake Granville | Hooker | |
2022 | Tom Dearden | Five-eighth | |
2023 | Jordan McLean | Prop | |
2024 | Jake Granville | Hooker |
Year | Nat | Winner | Position |
---|---|---|---|
2022 | Robert Derby | Wing | |
2023 | Wil Sullivan | Second-row | |
2024 | Henry Teutau | Prop |
Year | Nat | Winner | Position |
---|---|---|---|
2023 | Emma Manzelmann | Hooker | |
2024 | Bree Chester | Lock |
Year | Nat | Winner | Position |
---|---|---|---|
2023 | Emma Manzelmann | Hooker | |
2024 | Jakiya Whitfeld | Centre |
Year | Nat | Winner | Position |
---|---|---|---|
2023 | Fran Goldthorp | Fullback | |
2024 | Lily Peacock | Prop |
Year | Nat | Winner | Position |
---|---|---|---|
2023 | China Polata | Centre | |
2024 | Alisha Foord | Hooker |
Year | Nat | Winner | Position |
---|---|---|---|
2023 | Kirra Dibb | Halfback | |
2024 | Kirra Dibb | Halfback |
Year | Nat | Winner | Position |
---|---|---|---|
2021 | Emma Manzelmann | Hooker | |
2022 | Emma Manzelmann | Hooker |
Year | Nat | Winner | Position |
---|---|---|---|
2021 | Jordii-Rae Mahendrarajah | Second-row | |
2022 | Sareka Mooka | Lock |
The Golden Boot is awarded annually to the world's best player.
The Dally M Medal is awarded to the best player over the NRL season.
The Wally Lewis medal is awarded each year to the State of Origin's man of the series.
Each year at the Dally M awards, the best players in their position during the NRL season are selected for the team of the year.
Awarded to the best players in the world at their position during the season by the Rugby League International Federation.
Awarded each year since 1970 by the magazine Rugby League Week.
Premierships
Runners-up
Minor premierships
Wooden spoons
Finals appearances
Year | Nat | Winner | Position |
---|---|---|---|
2008 | Nick Slyney | Lock | |
2009 | Dane Hogan | Lock | |
2010 | Jason Taumalolo | Second-row | |
2011 | Jason Taumalolo | Second-row | |
2012 | Zac Santo | Fullback | |
2013 | Jayden Hodges | Hooker | |
2014 | Josh Chudleigh | Hooker | |
2015 | Andrew Niemoeller | Lock | |
2016 | Brandon Smith | Hooker | |
2017 | Kurt Wiltshire | Centre |
NYC Team of the Year
Dally M Player of the Year
RLPA Player of the Year
The North Queensland Cowboys is an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, the largest city in North Queensland. They compete in Australia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League (NRL).
Johnathan Dean Thurston is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the National Rugby League (NRL). Thurston was an Australian international, Queensland State of Origin and Indigenous All Stars representative, playing at halfback or five-eighth, and was a noted goal-kicker. Thurston has been an assistant coach of the Queensland rugby league team since 2021.
Cooper Patrick Cronk is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative halfback, he played most of his club career for the Melbourne Storm, though finished his career with the Sydney Roosters, both in the National Rugby League (NRL).
The 2007 North Queensland Cowboys season was the 13th in the club's history. Coached by Graham Murray and captained by Johnathan Thurston, they competed in the NRL's Telstra Premiership. They finished the regular season in 3rd place, falling one game short of the Grand Final after losing to the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.
The 2004 North Queensland Cowboys season was the 11th in the club's history. Coached by Graham Murray and captained by Travis Norton, they competed in the NRL's 2005 Telstra Premiership. They finished the regular season in 5th and played in their first Grand Final, which they lost to the Wests Tigers.
The 2009 North Queensland Cowboys season was the 15th season in the club's history. Coached by Neill Henry and captained by Johnathan Thurston, they competed in the National Rugby League's 2009 Telstra Premiership and finished the regular season 12th place, failing to reach the finals for the second consecutive year.
The 2010 North Queensland Cowboys season was the 16th season in the club's history. Coached by Neil Henry and co-captained by Johnathan Thurston and Matthew Scott, they competed in the National Rugby League's 2010 Telstra Premiership, finishing in 15th place and failing to make the finals for the 3rd consecutive year.
Michael Morgan is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the NRL.
The 2005 Dally M Awards were presented on Tuesday 6 September 2005 at the Sydney Town Hall in Sydney and broadcast on Fox Sports. Warren Smith presided as Master of Ceremonies.
The 2011 North Queensland Cowboys season was the 17th season in the club's history. They competed in the National Rugby League's 2011 Telstra Premiership. They finished the regular season in 7th place and were knocked out in the first week of the finals by the eventual premiers, the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.
Vaai Taumalolo, better known by the nickname Jason, is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who plays as a lock forward for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League (NRL). He has played for Tonga and New Zealand at international level.
The 2012 North Queensland Cowboys season was the 18th in the club's history. Coached by Neil Henry and co-captained by Johnathan Thurston and Matthew Scott, they competed in the National Rugby League's 2012 Telstra Premiership. They finished the regular season in 5th place and were knocked out in the second week of the finals by the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, for the second year in a row.
The 2014 North Queensland Cowboys season was the 20th in the club's history. Coached by Paul Green and co-captained by Johnathan Thurston and Matthew Scott, they competed in the NRL's 2014 Telstra Premiership.
The 2015 North Queensland Cowboys season was the 21st in the club's history. Coached by Paul Green and co-captained by Johnathan Thurston and Matthew Scott, they competed in the NRL's 2015 Telstra Premiership. The Cowboys celebrated 20 years as a club in 2015 and played in the first all-Queensland grand final, defeating the Brisbane Broncos 17–16 in golden point to win their first premiership.
The 2016 North Queensland Cowboys season was the 22nd in the club's history and their first as defending premiers. Coached by Paul Green and co-captained by Johnathan Thurston and Matthew Scott, they competed in the NRL's 2016 Telstra Premiership. In the pre-season the Cowboys competed in the 2016 Auckland Nines tournament, reaching the quarter-finals. The team finished the regular season in 4th, losing in the preliminary final to the eventual premiers, the Cronulla Sharks.
Kalyn Ponga is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who captains and plays as a fullback for the Newcastle Knights in the National Rugby League (NRL). He is the recipient of the 2023 Dally M Medal.
The 2017 North Queensland Cowboys season was the 23rd in the club's history. Coached by Paul Green and co-captained by Johnathan Thurston and Matthew Scott, they competed in the NRL's 2017 Telstra Premiership. The club became just the second 8th-placed side to make the Grand Final, ultimately losing to the Melbourne Storm.
The 2018 North Queensland Cowboys season was the 24th in the club's history. Coached by Paul Green and co-captained by Johnathan Thurston and Matthew Scott, they competed in the NRL's 2018 Telstra Premiership. The team finished the regular season in 13th position and did not qualify for the finals.
The 2022 North Queensland Cowboys season was the 28th in the club's history. Coached by Todd Payten and captained by Jason Taumalolo and Chad Townsend, they competed in the NRL's 2022 Telstra Premiership.