LeagueNews.co | Cooper McEnroe
The North Queensland Cowboys have announced the signing of former Manly Sea Eagles and Wests Tigers forward, Aitasi James, as he seeks to rejuvenate his rugby league career.
James was released by the Manly Sea Eagles midway through the 2025 NRL season and most recently played for the North Sydney Bears in the NSW Cup. Currently training with the Cowboys in Townsville, he has secured a train-and-trial contract and joins international players Dudley Dotoi and Ronald Philitoga.
Although the details of his contract are not yet public, the 25-year-old has prior experience with the Parramatta Eels, Wests Tigers, and Manly Sea Eagles, having made appearances in the NRL for the latter two clubs. Despite being relatively young at 25, James has played in six first-grade matches and recently participated in 16 NSW Cup games with the North Sydney Bears.
In his stint with the Bears, he showcased his skills by scoring four tries, breaking 27 tackles, and making an impressive 516.4 post-contact meters. He also recorded 233 tackles with a high efficiency rate of 93.2 percent while averaging 83.1 running meters per match.