The North Queensland Toyota Cowboys have agreed to a three-year contract extension with prop Griffin Neame, running through the end of the 2029 season.
Signed to the Cowboys as a teenager from the small New Zealand South Island town of Greymouth, Neame relocated to North Queensland in 2018 as a 17-year-old.
Now 24, Neame made his NRL debut as a 20-year-old in Round 22 of the 2021 season alongside Jeremiah Nanai.
Neame has gone on to appear in 89 games for the Cowboys, including finals campaigns in 2022 and 2024. He solidified his spot as a starting front-rower late in 2025 and is poised to take a major role in the middle rotation next season following the retirement of Jordan McLean.
Neame has registered six Test appearances for New Zealand, scoring a try in the Kiwi’s 30-nil thumping of Australia in the 2023 Pacific Championships Final.
“This is a really important signature for the club,” Cowboys General Manager of Football Micheal Luck said.
“Griffin has come through our Pathways system, we’ve watched him work extremely hard on his game and our coaching staff have invested a significant amount of time in him to elevate his game to the point he reached at the back end of last season.
“This extension is a sign that our club sees Griffin as one of the leaders of our forward pack moving into the future. Griff’s apprenticeship is over and he now has the opportunity to stamp his mark, not only at our club, but as one of the genuine marquee front-rowers in the NRL and we’re thrilled he has chosen to do it in Cowboys colours.”
Neame said he was thrilled to remain in North Queensland.
“I’m very happy to be able to finalise this deal and purely focus on football,” he said.
“I feel we have a playing group who is hungry to improve and more importantly win, which makes me excited for what lays ahead for us as a club.
“I love North Queensland, it is a special place to live.”
