North Queensland Cowboys set to start the 2026 NRL season without two of their key players. Jeremiah Nanai and Griffin Neame are waiting to make their returns from long term shoulder injuries as well. This is crushing news to our small team. Their attitude is evident in their approach to this Friday’s season opener against the Newcastle Knights.
Jeremiah Nanai, a standout performer for the Cowboys, suffered a shoulder injury while playing for Samoa in their victory over Tonga in late October. After this mishap, he had a publicly funded shoulder reconstructive surgery. As a result, he will be unavailable to the Eagles for at least the start of the 2026 season. His absence is all the more worrisome since he was supposed to be the player to lead this team’s charge.
Griffin Neame is out to start the season. Right now, he’s facing a severe blow to his comeback from shoulder surgery. Neame was due back in time for Round 1, however his condition has pushed back his return. Suddenly, the Cowboys are dealing with one of the most difficult openings to a season while missing two key contributors. This scenario would be reminiscent of last year’s issues when Jason Taumalolo broke his foot in the 2024 Pacific Championships.
Picture this – the Cowboys have just finished the first five games of their season. They will have the benefit of a schedule that looks incredibly favorable on paper. Their remaining games are stoutly against the Knights, Wests Tigers, Gold Coast Titans and St George Illawarra Dragons. The losses of Nanai and Neame will definitely hurt, considering these absences will overlap with this crucial stretch.
Not all hope is lost for the ’Boys, as we cover some positive developments below. Murray Taulagi will return to full training after Christmas. He was forced out of the field during the final of the Pacific Cup in a knee injury. Whatever has happened, Heilum Luki is back on track to finish Round 1 and be a force to be reckoned with. He churned through the entire 2025 season due to his second anterior cruciate ligament injury.
The North Queensland Cowboys are bolstering their squad for next year. They’ve signed Reed Mahoney to replace outgoing hooker Reece Robson. This most recent move is meant to bolster a hurting squad as players continue to drop like flies.
As the New Year approaches, both Jeremiah Nanai and Griffin Neame are expected to have clearer timelines regarding their return dates. The Cowboys, along with their fans, are hoping to see these difference makers back on the field sooner rather than later, though.
