Four graduates of the North Queensland Toyota Cowboys Young Guns program join two new recruits to make up the club’s Development List for the 2027 NRL season.
Existing Development List players Xavier Kerrisk, Matt Watts and Archie Mesritz remain from 2026 and will be joined by powerhouse prop Fanafou Seve, who moves into the NRL squad from the Young Guns program.
Former Roosters utility Jake Elliott and Dragons prop Leeroy Weatherall have inked contracts to move to North Queensland.
Kerrisk broke through for his NRL debut in 2026 in what was his second season with the Cowboys’ top squad.
The Mackay product was a staple at hooker for the Cutters in the Queensland Cup as they broke a 13-year finals drought.
Kerrisk appeared in 18 games for the Cutters, scoring six tries and assisting two, while averaging 22 tackles per game at 92 per cent efficiency.
A fellow Mackay product, Watts was compiling a solid season for the Cutters before a shoulder injury ended his campaign midway through the year.
Watts appeared in six games for the Cutters in the Queensland Cup, averaging 60 running metres and 13 tackles per game.
Mesritz moved into the NRL squad midway through the 2026 season in what was his first full-time year of rugby league.
The St Joseph’s College Nudgee graduate was instrumental at fullback in grand final victories for both the Townsville Blackhawks in the Mal Meninga Cup and the Cowboys in the NRLQ.
Fellow NRLQ premiership winner Seve previously spent time in the Bulldogs and Roosters systems before moving to North Queensland prior to the 2026 season.
A hulking front-rower of Tongan heritage, Seve made his Queensland Cup debut in 2026, appearing in 10 games for the Northern Pride.
Elliott arrives in North Queensland after playing 50 NSW Cup games across three seasons with the Roosters.
The 21-year-old split his 16 appearances in 2026 between five-eighth and hooker.
A standout front-rower who excelled at every level through the Dragons pathways system, Weatherall was promoted to the Dragons' Top 30 squad in June.
The 20-year-old will look to make his senior debut in 2027.
Taj Lateo, Tyson Walker and Taylan To’a will also spend the 2027 season training alongside the NRL squad on Train and Replacement contracts.
Alekisio Siale, Maddox Goodwin, Braith Dowson and Reweti Ngarimu will all spend parts of the pre-season with the NRL squad before returning to the Young Guns.
