The inaugural North Queensland Toyota Cowboys NRLW Cowboys of the Year will be awarded on Wednesday night when the Cowboys hold their annual Presentation Night at the Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre.
There have been a number of standout performers during the Cowboys’ maiden season in the NRLW, including fullback Fran Goldthorp, winger/middle forward China Polata, centre Jasmine Peters, hooker Emma Manzelmann and middle forward Tiana Raftstrand-Smith who shape as the main contenders for the award.
Goldthorp, in her debut NRLW season, has been tireless for the Cowboys in 2023. The English International averaged a team-high 144 running metres to go along with a try and 31 tackle breaks.
Polata has completed a remarkable positional change over the course of the season. Starting the 2023 campaign on the wing, Polata finished as a middle forward. The Queensland Maroons representative averaged 79 running metres over the course of eight games.
Mackay junior Peters has been outstanding fulfilling a childhood dream playing for the Cowboys. The hard-running centre crossed for three tries, registered 34 tackle breaks and averaged 96 running metres.
Fellow Mackay product Manzelmann lived up to her billing as one of the Cowboys star recruits. The speedy dummy-half was the Cowboys first-ever signing and fittingly scored the club’s inaugural try in the NRLW. Manzelmann crossed for 3 tries across nine games and made 280 tackles at a stellar 94% tackle efficiency.
Raftstrand-Smith was a constant threat as a ball-playing middle forward for the Cowboys. The 20-year-old averaged 72 running metres a game across the season to go along with two tries.
