Thirty years ago this week, Auckland Warriors, North Queensland Cowboys, South Queensland Crushers and Western Reds entered the premiership as Australian rugby league went truly national – and international.
The Crushers and Reds would fold after just three seasons, under the weight of the code’s Super League war-ravaged largesse.
But three decades on, the Warriors and Cowboys – the NRL’s two most far-flung clubs – continue to thrive, having added immensely to the colour and drama of the competition.
After several seasons as premiership whipping boys, North Queensland emerged as a genuine force and, ultimately, NRL champions. Ahead of their 2025 NRL season opener, we’re pinpointing the most glorious moments from the Cowboys’ first 30 years.
30. Bowen arrows Cowboys into finals in home farewell (2013)
Facing oblivion coming into August with coach Neil Henry advised he would not be retained beyond the end of the 2013 season, the Cowboys went on a remarkable six-match winning streak to finish the home-and-away campaign and snatch eighth spot.
The final-round match against Wests Tigers doubled as a home farewell for Henry and beloved fullback Matt Bowen, whose second-half brace of tries turned the Cowboys’ shaky start into an emphatic 50-22 win.
Heading to Super League after a controversial qualifying final defeat to Cronulla, Bowen departed with then-club records for most games (270) and tries (130).
29. No flash in the pan (2005)
On the back of a brilliant maiden finals campaign in 2004 and the arrival of Johnathan Thurston and Carl Webb, North Queensland stamped its status as NRL force in a Round 2 showdown with defending champs the Bulldogs.
Webb was unstoppable and Thurston toyed with his former club in a 24-12 triumph in Townsville, the start of a 6-1 run that provided the platform for the Cowboys’ fifth-place finish.
28. Taumalolo strikes a blow for the engine-room (2016)
Establishing himself as the world’s best forward, back-row wrecking ball Jason Taumalolo became the first forward (excluding hookers) to win the Dally M Medal since Gavin Miller 27 years earlier when he tied with Cooper Cronk for the 2016 honour.
Taumalolo also won the first of a record six Paul Bowman Medals as the Cowboys’ best and fairest player that season, and has played the second-most games in the club’s history (275).
27. Cloud nines (2014)
The inaugural NRL Auckland Nines was a rousing success – and the surprise-packet Cowboys were the first club to lift the trophy at Eden Park.
Scraping through to the knockout phase after pool losses to Manly and the Warriors, the Cowboys beat Penrith in the quarter-finals and stunned hosts and overwhelming tournament favourites the Warriors in the semis, before outlasting archrivals Brisbane 16-7 in the final.
Curtis Rona scored two tries in the decider to finish equal leading tryscorer with teammate Kyle Feldt. Breakout Player of the Tournament Feldt was named in the Team of the Tournament with fellow Cowboys Kane Linnett, James Tamou, Antonio Winterstein and Gavin Cooper.
26. Hard day’s Knight (2024)
Surging into fifth place with six wins in their last seven games, the Cowboys carved out their first Townsville finals victory in eight years in an elimination final thriller against Newcastle last year.
Kyle Feldt’s runaway try in his last home game was his 151st for the club and set a new Cowboys season tryscoring record (23), while tries from young leaders Reuben Cotter and Tom Dearden turned a 16-all scoreline with eight minutes to go into a 28-16 win.
The Cowboys’ campaign ended with a plucky 26-18 loss to Cronulla a week later.
24-25. Little brother no longer (2012, 2014)
North Queensland confirmed its upper hand in the club’s rivalry with Brisbane courtesy of Townsville-hosted elimination final victories in 2012 and 2014.
A Michael Morgan hat-trick spearheaded a 33-16 win (their first in the finals for five years) for the fifth-placed Cowboys in 2012, while Gavin Cooper dotted down twice as they again sent the eighth-placed Broncos packing 32-20 in 2014.
23. Off the mark (1995)
The realities of life in the big league set in very quickly for the Cowboys, who lost the first seven games of the 1995 foundation season – including a 60-6 rout at the hands of North Sydney.
Two week later, though, at the unlikely venue of Wollongong Showgrounds, the Cowboys secured a historic maiden win: a 14-10 upset of an Illawarra Steelers side boasting four current or future NSW Origin players. Winger David Bouveng scored two tries for the Bruce Sinclair-led Cowboys.
North Queensland’s only other win on the way to a debut-year wooden spoon was in Townsville, Jason Martin captaining the side to a stunning 31-12 result against a handy Western Suburbs outfit.
22. Record comeback (1998)
Probably the most remarkable match of North Queensland’s formative era came midway through 1998 at Penrith Stadium.
The Ian Roberts-captained, Tim Sheens-coached Cowboys were headed for their sixth successive defeat when they trailed the Panthers 26-0 at halftime.
But a spectacular second 40 minutes saw the lowly visitors score seven unanswered tries – including a Noa Nadruku hat-trick and a double to Andrew Dunemann – as the Cowboys rallied to a 36-28 win and smashed the premiership record for the biggest-ever comeback.
21. Dally M dominator (2005-15)
The Cowboys’ greatest-ever player, Johnathan Thurston further cemented his legacy as one of the best in the game’s history when he became the first player to win four Dally M Medals.
Thurston took out the NRL’s highest individual honour in 2005 and 2007, shared it with Jarryd Hayne in 2014, and won it outright in another brilliant 2015 campaign.
Also named RLPA Player of the Year for the fourth time (and third season in a row) in 2015, JT followed up leading the Cowboys to a maiden title by becoming the first three-time winner of the Golden Boot.
19-20. Season-opening magic (2006, 2007)
NRL Round 1 featured a Queensland derby between the Cowboys and Broncos at Suncorp Stadium every year except one from 2005-11, producing myriad memorable moments.
The Cowboys destroyed ‘big brother’ 36-4 in 2006, with Johnathan Thurston scoring three tries and a club record-equalling 24 points.
The following season, Matt Bowen broke a deadlock in the 74th minute with an unforgettable 60-metre solo try, before Thurston iced a 23-16 victory with a late field goal.
18. Fitting farewell for JT (2018)
Johnathan Thurston’s last season did not go to plan for the Cowboys, with the previous year’s grand finalists missing the playoffs for the first time in eight years.
With two rounds remaining, the Cowboys were running last. But the incomparable JT steered them away from the wooden spoon with inspirational performances in an emotional fortnight-long farewell.
Firstly, he guided the Cowboys to a 44-6 demolition of Parramatta in his last match in Townsville, while the Queensland adoration was no less prevalent in his final match as he spearheaded a 30-26 win on the Gold Coast. Both matches attracted crowds of over 25,000.
In the latter, stalwart second-rower – and long-time Thurston left-edge collaborator – Gavin Cooper created premiership history by becoming the first forward to score in nine consecutive games…with JT, inevitably, providing the assist.
17. Stayin’ alive (2005)
After going down in a 16-12 qualifying final thriller at Suncorp Stadium, the Cowboys reset their sights on glory with a pair of emphatic sudden-death victories.
North Queensland crushed Cronulla 39-0 in a Townsville-hosted semi-final – sweet revenge for their highly contentious elimination final defeat to the Sharks two years earlier.
16. Top of the world (2016)
North Queensland kept its premiership-winning party going into the 2016 pre-season, maintaining NRL clubs’ dominance of the World Club Challenge.
The Cowboys overwhelmed Super League champions Leeds Rhinos 38-4 at Headingley, running in six unanswered second-half tries.
Johnathan Thurston received the Graham Murray Medal, which was struck in the honour of the late coach who had taken both clubs to grand finals.
15. On the warpath (2007)
After finishing third and holding off the Bulldogs 20-18 in week one of the finals, the Cowboys carved out one of the most dominant post-season wins of the NRL era in sweltering Townsville heat.
The Cowboys went into halftime 18-12 in front before piling on five tries to none in the second stanza, winning 49-12. The match doubled as a home farewell for retiring great Paul Bowman, who slotted an obligatory conversion attempt to cap the rout.
14. Gallant fightback falls just short (2014)
Though ultimately adding to the club’s long-running tale of finals woe after controversial exits to Manly in 2012 and Cronulla in 2013, North Queensland played its part in one of the most extraordinary post-season matches of all time in 2014.
Minor premiers and defending champs Sydney Roosters rocketed to a 30-0 lead after just 33 minutes…setting the scene for an astonishing comeback mission.
In the space of 24 minutes, the Cowboys had run in five unanswered tries to level the scores. Breaking their own premiership record for the biggest-ever comeback win beckoned, but the only remaining score of a pulsating encounter would be a James Maloney field goal.
A long-range, last-minute try to Johnathan Thurston was agonisingly turned down by the video referee by a hairline knock-on call.
13. A new frontier (1995)
Following a mad scramble to get Stockland Stadium ready in time for the 1995 season, North Queensland Cowboys made their intrepid premiership debut against the Bulldogs
Fullback Damian Gibson scored the club’s maiden try in the 20th-minute to send the 23,156-strong crowd into delirium, levelling the scores at 8-all.
Queensland Origin reps Adrian Vowles (Cowboys) and Jason Smith (Bulldogs) were sent off for high tackles in the first half, and the previous year’s grand finalists powered to a 34-16 win. But the result was relatively inconsequential for the locals: they had a team in the world’s best rugby league comp.
12. Valiant finish to watershed campaign (2004)
The seventh-placed Cowboys came within an ace of one of the great preliminary final boilovers in their maiden playoffs campaign.
Rank outsiders against minor premiers and 2002-03 grand finalists Sydney Roosters, the Cowboys fought back to level the scores on multiple occasions and were still at 16-all with six minutes left.
A field goal and penalty goal to the Roosters in the dying stages gave them a 19-16 lead, before a last-ditch Cowboys attacking raid came up just short.
11. Extra-time triumph (2016)
North Queensland compounded Brisbane’s 2015 grand final pain in an epic week two semi less than 12 months later.
The Cowboys fought back from 14-6 down at halftime before Johanthan Thurston kicked a 79th-minute penalty to send the match into extra-time.
A trademark show-and-go and flick pass from Thurston in the added period laid on a famous try for Michael Morgan, handing the Cowboys a 26-20 triumph.
10. Born to runner-up (2005)
North Queensland was destined to be a mere role-player in the last act of Wests Tigers’ 2005 fairytale, but the Cowboys nevertheless contributed immensely to a highly entertaining grand final.
After being belted 50-6 by the same team three weeks earlier, the Cowboys opened the scoring in the decider through Matt Bowen and refused to throw in the towel despite trailing 18-6 and 24-12, rallying through tries to captain Travis Norton and winger Matt Sing.
A Tigers try in the dying stages finally quelled the plucky resistance of Graham Murray’s Cowboys in a 30-16 result.
7-9. September specialists (2017)
The Cowboys looked dead and buried following a season-ending injury to Johnathan Thurston suffered during State of Origin, ultimately limping into eighth spot after losing five of their last six games. But the team staged one of the unlikeliest finals of all time to reach the grand final.
Rally from 8-0 and 14-6 down against Cronulla in their elimination final, the Cowboys advanced 15-14 via Michael Morgan’s extra-time field goal.
Morgan went to another level that September, guiding the team to stunning upsets of top-four teams Parramatta (24-16) and Sydney Roosters (29-16). Inevitably, Paul Green’s side ran out of steam in the grand final and were overrun 34-6 by dominant minor premiers Melbourne.
6. Booking a spot in the big one (2015)
Setting the scene for lifting the NRL trophy a week later, North Queensland went to Melbourne and ran away with the preliminary final 32-12.
Michael Morgan scored two tries for the second straight finals match in a precursor to his grand final heroics.
5. Holmes away from home (2022)
Another chapter in the extraordinary Cronulla-North Queensland finals rivalry was written at Shark Park in the clubs’ 2022 elimination final showdown.
The Sharks appeared to have wrapped up a seesawing clash when they built a late 30-22 lead, but a penalty goal and a Jason Taumalolo try inside the last 30 seconds sent the match into extra-time.
With no additional scorers in the 10 minutes of extra-time, ex-Cronulla premiership winner Valentine Holmes won the thriller with a booming 44-metre field goal in golden point. The campaign would end in an agonising home prelim loss to Parramatta a fortnight later.
4. Dazzling debutants (2004)
North Queensland earned a watershed first finals appearance by finishing seventh in 2004 – but that’s as far as the former battlers were meant to go.
But no one told the Cowboys, who pulled off an incredible 30-22 upset of the second-placed Bulldogs in Sydney.
The Cowboys scored the first three tries of the match and never looked back, despite a surging Bulldogs comeback. Matt Sing’s third try in the 78th minute confirmed a historic victory and a week two berth.
3. Prelim shutout (2005)
Having lost 50-6 in week one to Wests Tigers before regrouping with a hard-fought win over Melbourne, North Queensland were rated little chance of rolling minor premiers Parramatta in the preliminary final.
But it was all one-way traffic at Stadium Australia in the underdog visitors’ favour, racing to an 18-0 halftime lead through tries to Matt Bowen, Rod Jensen and Brett Firman, before grafting out a remarkable 29-0 result.
2. Bucking the Broncos (2004)
Brisbane graciously allowed its 2004 semi-final against North Queensland – scheduled for Sydney – to be moved to Townsville. It set the scene for the greatest night in the Cowboys’ first 10 seasons.
A heaving crowd of just under 25,000 created an electrifying atmosphere, spurring the Cowboys to a 10-0 triumph – their first against the Broncos in 17 attempts.
Five-eighth David Myles’ 25th-minute effort proved to be the only try of a match underpinned by the Cowboys’ unbreakable defensive line.
1.Thurston, Morgan steer Cowboys to golden point glory (2015)
North Queensland’s maiden grand final triumph was a Hollywood scriptwriter’s wet dream, packed with drama, unbearable tension and an earth-shattering climax with an inevitable hero at the centre of it.
The Cowboys and Broncos had unquestionably produced one of the greatest premiership deciders of all time. The Broncos led 8-0 early, the Cowboys rallied to a 12-8 advantage, and a Johnathan Thurston error gifted a try to Jack Reed to hand a 14-12 halftime lead to the Broncos.
The only score for the next 40 minutes was a Broncos penalty goal and a classic looked set to end 16-12. But a last-ditch, Hail Mary play saw Thurston link with Michael Morgan, who embarked on an arcing run before producing a flick pass for Kyle Feldt to score as the siren sounded.
Thurston’s sideline conversion attempt agonisingly cannoned off the goalpost. But after Broncos halfback Ben Hunt infamously shelled the golden point kick-off, JT sunk the premiership-winning field goal.