The North Queensland Cowboys were introduced into the ARL in 1995 and were the second club from Queensland to be admitted into the competition following the successful launch of the Brisbane Broncos franchise in 1988.
The Cowboys struggled to make an impact in their first decade of existence, with a lack of on field success and instability within the club making it difficult to compete with the Broncos for fans and to attract high profile players. It wasn’t until 2004 that things started to turn around for the club as coach Graham Murray led the side to a successful season where they finished in the top eight for the first time and made a deep run into the finals only to be denied by the Roosters in the preliminary final.
The club went into the 2005 season with new found optimism, which was aided by the recruitment of a young prospect from the Bulldogs named Johnathan Thurston. The signing of Thurston is viewed as a defining moment in the history of the Cowboys and his impact on the club was realised immediately as he won the first of his four Dally M medals to lead the team from Townsville into their first ever Grand Final. Despite losing to the Wests Tigers in the final, the Cowboys used the 2015 season as a springboard into a successful era which saw them transform into top eight regulars.
With Thurston at the helm, the Cowboys have made the finals 9 of the past 12 seasons and have established themselves as one the most consistent teams in the competition, turning their Townsville home ground into a fortress. The club finally managed to reach rugby league nirvana in 2015 when they defeated their biggest rivals the Broncos in the Grand Final to claim their maiden Premiership. The two teams have continued this close rivalry in recent times, making it one of the most eagerly awaited encounters of the season.
Through current coach Paul Green and the acquisition and development of many star players, the Cowboys have become a heavyweight of the NRL and many believe they now hold the mantle as Queensland’s premier club.
