One of the greatest players to don a Cowboys jersey has today joined one of the club’s prestigious groups.
Premiership-winning prop Matt Scott was named as the fifth player enshrined in the North Queensland Toyota Cowboys Hall of Fame at the club’s Season Launch at the Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre.
Scott joins fellow life members Paul Bowman, Matt Bowen and Johnathan Thurston as well as legendary try-scoring winger Matt Sing.
Born in Longreach and raised in Ilfracombe, Scott was first signed to the Cowboys as a teenager after being spotted at a schoolboy carnival playing for renowned rugby league nursery St Brendan’s College Yeppoon.
Scott made his NRL debut as an 18-year-old in Round 19 of the 2004 season, but suffered a broken leg, which would rule him out of the remainder of the season.
As a 19-year-old he appeared in three NRL games in 2005, although played a starring role for the North Queensland Young Guns in their march to a Queensland Cup premiership.
His ascension to NRL regular in 2006 was remarkable and culminated in being named in the starting side for the Maroons in the opening game of the State of Origin series.
By 2010 Scott was the premier prop in rugby league and a staple for both the Maroons and Kangaroos.
In 2011 he was named Cowboys co-captain alongside Thurston, which signaled the beginning of the greatest era in club history.
Under Scott and Thurston, North Queensland qualified for seven consecutive finals series between 2011-17, culminating in the club’s historic maiden premiership in 2015.
By the time his career came to a close in 2019, Scott had appeared in 268 games for the Cowboys, still the most of any forward, 22 Origins for Queensland and 22 Tests for Australia.
He won the World Club Challenge with North Queensland in 2016 and was named both Dally M and RLIF Prop of the Year in 2011 and Dally M Captain of the Year in 2015.
Scott is one of just eight Cowboys players to appear in 200 games for the club, triggering automatic life membership.
“Matthew Scott epitomises everything our club represents,” Cowboys CEO Jeff Reibel said
“He wore his heart on his sleeve from the moment he arrived at our club as a teenager
“He led from the front both on the field and as a leader of our club. There were many a game we were able to win off the back of Matt Scott through his resilience, toughness, desire to win and love for our club.
“Matt’s reputation for playing through injury and determination to never let his teammates down is legendary in North Queensland.
“His immeasurable influence on the club as a player continues to this day through his role as a mentor to our Leadership Group.
“Matt Scott is without question one of the most significant contributors in the history of our club and we are delighted to announce him of the fifth member of the Hall of Fame today.”
