The 2020 North Queensland Cowboys season was the 26th in the club's history. Coached by Paul Green and captained by Michael Morgan, they competed in the NRL's 2020 Telstra Premiership. The 2020 season was the club's first at their new home ground, Queensland Country Bank Stadium, after 25 seasons at Willows Sports Complex.
On 20 July, Green resigned as head coach after just three wins from the opening 10 games. He was replaced by assistant coach Josh Hannay, who took over as interim head coach until the end of the season.
Season summary
Milestones Round 1: Valentine Holmes, Esan Marsters and Reece Robson made their debuts for the club. Round 1: Valentine Holmes scored his first try for the club. Round 2: The club played the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in the first match without fans in Australian first grade history. Round 3: Reece Robson scored his first try in the NRL. Round 4: Tom Gilbert made his NRL debut. Round 5: Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow made his NRL debut. Round 6: Connelly Lemuelu made his NRL debut. Round 6: Esan Marsters scored his first try for the club. Round 10: Daejarn Asi made his NRL debut. Round 10: Daejarn Asi scored his first NRL try. Round 11: Ben Hampton played his 100th NRL game. Round 13: Emry Pere made his NRL debut. Round 13: Francis Molo played his 50th NRL game. Round 14: Mitchell Dunn and Connelly Lemuelu scored their first NRL tries. Round 15: The club were held scoreless for the first time since Round 1, 2012. Round 19: Ben Condon made his NRL debut.
Squad
Squad movement
Gains Player Signed from Until end of NotesValentine HolmesNew York JetsConnelly Lemuelu Canterbury BulldogsEsan Marsters Wests TigersReece Robson St George Illawarra Dragons
Losses Player Signed To Until end of NotesCarlin Anderson Townsville BlackhawksKurt Baptiste Easts TigersLogan Bayliss-Brow Easts TigersScott BoltonRetiredJavid Bowen Northern PrideGideon Gela-Mosby Northern PrideJordan Kahu Brisbane BroncosTe Maire MartinRetiredMatthew ScottRetiredEnari Tuala Newcastle KnightsKurt Wiltshire Wests Tigers Mackay
Re-signings Player Club Until end of Notes Reuben Cotter North Queensland CowboysMitchell Dunn North Queensland CowboysKyle Feldt North Queensland CowboysFrancis Molo North Queensland CowboysEmry Pere North Queensland CowboysShane Wright North Queensland Cowboys
Ladder
Fixtures
NRL Nines
The NRL Nines is a pre-season rugby league nines competition featuring all 16 NRL clubs. The 2020 competition was played over two days on February 14 and 15 at HBF Park in Perth. The Cowboys finished first in Pool 4 and defeated the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Gold Coast Titans and St George Illawarra Dragons on their way to winning the competition.
Pool Play
Date Time (Local) Round Opponent Venue Score Tries GoalsSaturday, 14 February7:05pmRound 1 Brisbane BroncosHBF Park17 – 11Drinkwater (bonus try), Hess, Tabuai-Fidow Clifford (2)Sunday, 15 Saturday1:45pmRound 2 Manly Sea EaglesHBF Park10 – 7Opacic, Taulagi Drinkwater (1) Legend:
Finals
Date Time (Local) Round Opponent Venue Score Tries GoalsSunday, 15 Saturday3:55pmQuarter South Sydney RabbitohsHBF Park20 – 6Drinkwater (bonus try), Hess (bonus try), Tabuai-Fidow Clifford (2), Feldt (1)Sunday, 15 Saturday5:45pmSemi Gold Coast TitansHBF Park19 – 8Feldt (bonus try), Drinkwater, Tabuai-Fidow, Wright Feldt (1)Sunday, 15 Saturday7:00pmFinal St George Illawarra DragonsHBF Park23 – 14Robson (bonus try), Clifford, Hess, Tabuai-Fidow Clifford (2), Drinkwater (1) Legend:
Pre-season Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals AttendanceSaturday, 22 FebruaryTrial 1 Brisbane BroncosBarlow Park18 – 16Cotter (2), Gilbert, LemueluClifford (1/4) –Saturday, 29 FebruaryTrial 2 Melbourne StormCasey Fields14 – 22Feldt, Holmes, O'NeillHolmes (1/3) – Legend:
Regular season Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, the regular season was suspended after Round 2. On 9 April, the NRL announced that competition would re-commence on 28 May with a shortened 20-round regular season. On 21 May, the full revised draw was released From Round 7 onward, the Cowboys were allowed to host fans at their home games, starting with a limit of 2,000, before eventually rising to 10,000 from Round 9.
Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals AttendanceFriday, 13 MarchRound 1 Brisbane BroncosQueensland Country Bank Stadium21 – 28Cooper, Feldt, Hampton, HolmesFeldt (2/2), Holmes (0/2), Morgan (1 FG) 22,459Thursday, 19 MarchRound 2 Canterbury BulldogsANZ Stadium24 – 16Drinkwater, Hampton, Hess, TaumaloloHolmes (4/5) 0Friday, 29 MayRound 3 Gold Coast TitansQueensland Country Bank Stadium36 – 6Hampton (2), Robson (2), Feldt, O'Neill Holmes (6/7) 0Saturday, 6 JuneRound 4 Cronulla SharksQueensland Country Bank Stadium16 – 26Feldt (2), O'NeillHolmes (2/3) 0Friday, 12 JuneRound 5 WarriorsCentral Coast Stadium26 – 37Feldt (2), Holmes, Molo, O'NeillFeldt (3/5) 0Saturday, 20 JuneRound 6 Wests TigersCampbelltown Stadium36 – 20Feldt (2), Drinkwater, MarstersClifford (1/2), Feldt (1/3) 0Saturday, 27 JuneRound 7 Newcastle KnightsQueensland Country Bank Stadium32 – 20Clifford, Feldt, Hess, O'Neill, Tabuai-Fidow Feldt (6/6) 1,853Friday, 3 JulyRound 8 Parramatta EelsBankwest Stadium4 – 42OpacicFeldt (0/1) 6,730Thursday, 9 JulyRound 9 Sydney RoostersQueensland Country Bank Stadium 16 – 42Robson (2), HessFeldt (2/4) 6,478 Sunday, 19 JulyRound 10 Penrith PanthersPanthers Stadium10 – 22 Asi, Tabuai-Fidow Feldt (1/2) 2,891Friday, 24 JulyRound 11 Manly Sea EaglesQueensland Country Bank Stadium12 – 24Feldt, MoloFeldt (2/2)7,127Saturday, 1 AugustRound 12 Canberra RaidersQueensland Country Bank Stadium12 – 14Robson, TaumaloloFeldt (2/2)7,586Sunday, 9 AugustRound 13 Gold Coast TitansCbus Super Stadium10 – 30Feldt, O'NeillFeldt (1/2) 5,646Saturday, 15 AugustRound 14 South Sydney RabbitohsQueensland Country Bank Stadium30 – 31Morgan (2), Dunn, Lemuelu, Opacic, Tabuai-FidowFeldt (3/7) 7,611 Sunday, 23 AugustRound 15 Newcastle KnightsMcDonald Jones Stadium0 – 14 5,304Saturday, 29 AugustRound 16 Cronulla SharksNetstrata Jubilee Stadium12 – 28Feldt (2)Holmes (2/2)2,717 Sunday, 6 SeptemberRound 17 St George Illawarra DragonsQueensland Country Bank Stadium23 – 22Clifford, Feldt, Holmes, Molo Holmes (3/4, 1 FG) 6,755Sunday, 13 SeptemberRound 18 Melbourne StormSunshine Coast Stadium20 – 36Feldt, Holmes, Marsters, Tabuai-Fidow Holmes (2/4) 4,056Friday, 18 SeptemberRound 19 Penrith PanthersQueensland Country Bank Stadium12 – 32Feldt, Tabuai-FidowHolmes (2/2) 7,247Thursday, 24 SeptemberRound 20 Brisbane BroncosSuncorp Stadium32 – 16Feldt (3), Clifford, O'Neill, Tabuai-Fidow Holmes (3/5), Cooper (1/1) 17,174 Legend:
Statistics NameAppTGFGPts51--411----1431-201----1511-610----162--8171--4201923-12212----8----134--16153--124----124241658----71--4122--817----15----203--1262-19176--2452--82----145--20146--244----162--88---- Totals 67 49 2 368
Representatives The following players have played a representative match in 2020.
All Stars match State of Origin 1 State of Origin 2 State of Origin 3 Coen Hess Valentine Holmes Esan Marsters
Honours
Club Paul Bowman Medal: Jason Taumalolo Players' Player: Josh McGuire Coach's Award: Mitchell Dunn Member's Player of the Year: Kyle Feldt Club Person of the Year: John Asiata Rookie of the Year: Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
Feeder Clubs
Queensland Cup The Cowboys' three feeder clubs, the Mackay Cutters, Northern Pride and Townsville Blackhawks, each played just one game before the 2020 Queensland Cup season was postponed and later cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Women's team
QRL Women's Premiership The Cowboys' women's team, the North Queensland Gold Stars, played just one game in the QRL Women's Premiership before the season was postponed and later cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
References