Junior Kiwis forward Braden Uele has been called up to the North Queensland Toyota Cowboys’ squad to face Brisbane in tonight’s NRL pre-season trial at Stadium Mackay.
Signed from the Sydney Roosters on a three-year contract at the end of last year, Uele is still eligible for the under-20s competition in 2015 but has spent part of the pre-season training with the Cowboys’ NRL squad.
He will start on the interchange bench in tonight’s trial, joining a front-rower with much more experience, Ben Hannant, in playing his first game in Cowboys colours.
Tonight’s 24-man squad will be captained by Glenn Hall and includes train-and-triallists Tom Humble and Cameron Cullen as well as Lachlan Coote and Cameron King, who have returned from knee reconstruction surgery.
Uele replaces Kyle McConnell, who has been released from his contract with the Cowboys to return home to the Gold Coast.
Tonight’s match kicks off at 7.30pm.
COWBOYS SQUAD: 1 Lachlan Coote, 2 Kyle Feldt, 3 Justin O’Neill, 4 Tautau Moga, 5 Javid Bowen, 6 Robert Lui, 7 Michael Morgan, 8 Ben Hannant, 9 Ray Thompson, 10 Sam Hoare, 11 Ethan Lowe, 12 Kelepi Tanginoa, 13 Glenn Hall. Interchange: 14 Cameron King, 15 John Asiata, 16 Ben Spina, 17 Patrick Kaufusi, 19 Jake Granville, 20 Tom Humble, 21 Hezron Murgha, 22 Braden Uele, 23 Zac Santo, 24 Cameron Cullen, 25 Coen Hess.
