The Cowboys Way award was introduced in 2021 and won by Jake Granville and Jordii Mahendrarajah in its maiden year for their dedication to their club, teammates and community both on and off the field.
In 2022 the award has been expanded to include the Young Guns and this year's recipients are quickly gaining similar reputations among their teammates as Granville and Mahendrarajah.
Tom Dearden was named the NRL Cowboys Way Award winner last night at the Cowboys Presentation Night.
Dearden’s statistics are impressive. In the 2022 regular season he registered eight tries and 15 try assists.
But it was the moments not included in the highlight reels which won him this award. Dearden has become renowned by the Cowboys coaching staff and his teammates for his try-saving efforts in defence and his uncanny ability to put himself in a position to dive on loose balls.
He also regularly played through pain, highlighted by his effort in Round 23 to play almost 60 minutes with a ruptured testicle.
Sareka Mooka’s rise from local TDRL with Western Lions to the QRLW with the Gold Stars has been built on the combination of hard work and perseverance. Mooka was tonight named the Gold Stars Cowboys Way winner.
Mooka’s ability to play tough, compete continuously and embrace challenges inspired her peers throughout a successful season.
Following Mooka’s successful QRLW season, she was rewarded with an Indigenous Gems jersey at the Women's Nationals.
Young Guns squad member Robert Derby’s dedication to high standards on and off the field has seen him named the inaugural Young Guns Cowboys Way winner.
Derby has impressed Young Guns coaching staff with his diligence and professionalism in all aspects of his training, diet and game preparation in an effort to put himself in the best position to perform well on the field. The talented outside back has been a revelation in his debut season in the Queensland Cup for the Northern Pride and will be a key figure in the Pride’s finals campaign.
