NQ Cowboys

The North Queensland Cowboys were founded in 1995 and entered the ARL competition in 1995, giving the tropical north of Queensland its first top-flight rugby league club. Based in Townsville — a city of 200,000 people over 1,300 kilometres north of Brisbane — the Cowboys represented a vast region that had produced rugby league players for generations but never had its own NRL team. The club quickly built a passionate and loyal fanbase across North Queensland, the Northern Territory, and beyond.

The Cowboys' greatest moment came in the 2015 NRL Grand Final against the Brisbane Broncos. With the scores level at 16-all in golden point extra time, Johnathan Thurston — the Cowboys' legendary halfback and four-time Dally M Medal winner — slotted a field goal to win the premiership 17-16. The scenes of celebration across North Queensland were extraordinary, and the 2015 grand final is widely regarded as one of the greatest matches in NRL history. The Cowboys reached the grand final again in 2017, losing to the Melbourne Storm, confirming their status as one of the competition's elite clubs.

Navy blue and yellow — the Cowboys' colours reflect the identity of North Queensland and give the club a bold, distinctive look in the NRL. The combination was chosen at the club's foundation and has become synonymous with the passion and pride of a region that embraced rugby league at the top level with extraordinary enthusiasm. The navy and yellow jersey is worn with the pride of a club that represents one of the most unique and geographically vast catchment areas in the NRL.

The Cowboys' home kit is worn at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville — a modern, purpose-built venue that opened in 2020 and is one of the finest rugby league grounds in Australia. The stadium's location in the tropics gives Cowboys home games a unique atmosphere, and the navy and yellow of the home jersey is worn with the determination of a club that knows it represents something special for the communities of North Queensland.