On top of having one of the most destructive forces in the game, North Queensland have added one of the biggest signings of the off-season.
We're previewing the notable NRL Fantasy buys and revealing all player prices for each club as the days tick down towards the start of the new season.
Valentine Holmes
Winger/fullback, $600,000
The last time we saw Valentine Holmes in the NRL he scored around 36 Fantasy points a game for the Sharks, but in 2020 his scoring could easily climb into the 40s.
In 2018 his scoring differed greatly depending on which position he was playing: in seven games on the wing he averaged less than 30, while in 16 games at fullback he averaged 47.
He'll be playing fullback for the Cowboys and as their star recruit is likely to be heavily involved in attack – meaning he's likely to be a cut-price option capable of scoring between 45 and 50 points a game.
The big question is what his form will look like in the early rounds after having tried his hand at the NFL.
All of Valentine Holmes' tries from 2018
Jason Taumalolo
Second-rower, $874,000
Taumalolo's Fantasy scoring was meant to go backwards last season.
After all, his scoring had already declined from a staggering 62.4 per game in 2017 (as the Cowboys earned a shock grand final berth without Johnathan Thurtson) to a still-very-good 54.8 per game in 2018, and then last year North Queensland added Josh McGuire to a stacked forward rotation already featuring Matt Scott and Jordan McLean.
Instead, Taumalolo only got better – his huge run totals (around 200m per week) earned him 61.7 points a game, including a monster 103-point effort against the Titans in round 12.
He starts the new season as one of several Fantasy captaincy options and could be a good bet if you don't want to splash the cash on $999k big man Payne Haas or expensive hooker options like Cameron Smith or Damien Cook.
Coen Hess
Second-rower, $471,000
At just 23, Coen Hess should be a player on the up. The hulking back-rower is (literally) a big talent, winning his club's rookie of the year award in 2015 and playing for Queensland's in 2017 and 2018.
But last year wasn't one to remember for Hess, who dropped out of both the Maroons line-up and the Cowboys starting side.
In 2019 all his key stats declined: his run metres dropped from 99 per game down to 85; his tackles went from 32 a game down to 20; and his try total went from seven to one.
His Fantasy scoring followed – his value declining by a huge $379,000 as his average score went from 48.5 per game down to just 29.5.
There's no guarantee he gets back to his best in 2020 but if he can go close to matching his 2018 output he'll be a bargain.
Cowboys starting prices in 2020
| Jason Taumalolo | $874,000 | 2RF |
| Jordan McLean | $646,000 | FRF |
| Michael Morgan | $639,000 | HLF |
| Josh McGuire | $638,000 | FRF, 2RF |
| Valentine Holmes | $600,000 | WFB |
| Gavin Cooper | $589,000 | 2RF |
| Jake Granville | $575,000 | HOK |
| Esan Marsters | $558,000 | CTR |
| Jake Clifford | $540,000 | HLF |
| Shane Wright | $538,000 | 2RF |
| Reece Robson | $523,000 | HOK |
| Kyle Feldt | $502,000 | WFB |
| Justin O'Neill | $477,000 | CTR, WFB |
| Tom Opacic | $471,000 | CTR |
| Coen Hess | $471,000 | 2RF |
| John Asiata | $408,000 | FRF, 2RF |
| Scott Drinkwater | $405,000 | HLF, WFB |
| Francis Molo | $375,000 | FRF |
| Mitchell Dunn | $290,000 | 2RF |
| Ben Hampton | $282,000 | CTR, WFB |
| Murray Taulagi | $272,000 | WFB |
| Corey Jensen | $246,000 | FRF, 2RF |
| Reuben Cotter | $246,000 | HOK |
| Peter Hola | $246,000 | FRF |
| Connelly Lemuelu | $228,000 | CTR |
| Tom Gilbert | $228,000 | FRF |
| Dan Russell | $228,000 | CTR |
| Emry Pere | $228,000 | 2RF |
