LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
The North Queensland Cowboys face a tough start to the 2026 NRL season due to injuries to two key forwards who have been ruled out.
As the Cowboys aim to return to the finals, coach Todd Payten will need to seek new options within the forward pack. Regular players Griffin Neame and Jeremiah Nanai are both unavailable for at least the beginning of the season.
On Sunday, the club confirmed that neither player will be fit for the opening match, and a recovery timeline has not been provided yet. Neame was initially expected to participate in Round 1 but experienced a setback.
Both players reportedly sustained their shoulder injuries while competing in the 2025 Pacific Championships for New Zealand and Samoa.
However, there is some positive news for the Cowboys. Scans have shown that winger Murray Taulagi will be available for the season and is anticipated to resume full training right after the Christmas break.
After injuring his knee in the Pacific Championships final, there were concerns that he may have torn his ACL, but the scans confirmed it to be an MCL injury instead.