North Queensland Toyota Cowboys prop Sam McIntyre has been named in the NRL’s Community Team of the Year after being nominated by the club for the Ken Stephen Medal.
The prestigious award recognises the efforts of an NRL player who has not only achieved on the field but also gone above and beyond off it too, through contributions to community projects, youth development or charity work.
McIntyre, who grew up in Port Macquarie, made his NRL debut at the Wests Tigers in 2020, with a short stint at Gold Coast before signing with the Cowboys in 2023, where he said he felt an immediate connection to the region.
“I was at a tough point in my career, and I was really struggling being in and out of first grade and I honestly considered giving up footy,” McIntyre said.
“Coming up here has been the best thing that’s happened to me, Townsville feels more like home, it’s a smaller community like I’m used to and I’ve just really gotten around it,” he said.
The 27-year-old big man, nick-named Tonka (truck) by his Cowboys teammates, is renowned for his big heart, genuine desire to help others and commitment to supporting causes close to his heart including as a Ronald McDonald House Charities North Australia Ambassador.
“Coming from a small town, NRL players were gods when I was young fella, I remember looking up to them as role models, so I just try to think about what inspired me as a kid and give that back now,” he said.
“When I was younger my mum had breast cancer, it was just sort of normal Mum being really unwell growing up. That’s in the back of my mind, especially when I go to Ronald McDonald House and I see kids going through tough times, I really have an appreciation and through my own experiences I can sort of connect with them in that way.
“It’s obviously quite an honour to be nominated for this award, it is nice to be recognised sometimes but I wouldn’t care either way to be honest, I’m just happy to help people out when I’ve got that opportunity.”
Cowboys General Manager - Football Micheal Luck said McIntyre’s personal approach to his role in the community stood out amongst the squad.
“Sam has worked really hard to earn and maintain his place in the top-grade side since he came here and you can tell he appreciates every moment and opportunity to use that success to help others,” Luck said.
“He has drawn upon his own life experiences to find causes and opportunities that he’s passionate about and you can tell he’s being genuine which makes his contributions so impactful.”
The Ken Stephen Medal fan vote opens at nrl.com/community/awards/ken-stephen-medal/2025-nominees on Tuesday 24 June and closes 5pm, Thursday 3 July; the player with the most fan votes is automatically in the top 4 finalists. The winner will be announced at the Dally M Awards on 1 October.
