With a club option for a further season, the North Queensland Cowboys have locked down breakout sensation Thomas Mikaele until 2026, giving the 26-year-old prop a long-term contract in recognition of his exceptional play. Having spent four seasons at the Tigers before transferring to the Super League in 2022 and then returning to the NRL to play one game for the Titans last season, Mikaele started this season with the Cowboys on a one-year development deal.
However, in a pre-season trial match against the Raiders, he came off the bench to score two tries, earning a Top-30 roster berth in Townsville. He then made his debut in Round 8 against Penrith, having played the first several games as an 18th man. The Australian Schoolboys and Queensland Under-18s player has played in the previous five Cowboys games, primarily as a substitute, and he has impressed with his two offloads per game on average.
“Tom has impressed us at every juncture since he arrived in North Queensland,” Cowboys General Manager of Football Micheal Luck said in a statement.
“He has unfinished business in the NRL and it’s evident by the way he prepares, trains and plays come game day. He is highly professional and he is determined, which are two attributes we value highly at our club.
“Tom possesses a different skillset to most of our established middle forwards with his ability to create second phase play and we are thrilled to have locked him up long-term.”
The Dolphins have handed forward Ray Stone a two-year contract extension that will see him remain at the club until the end of the 2026 season.
The 26-year-old joined the Dolphins from the Eels ahead of their debut NRL season, becoming a regular figure under Wayne Bennett.
He’s new tallied 26 games for the Dolphins and the club’s chief executive Terry Reader was excited to see him remain with the club.
“Ray has been one of the real quiet achievers of our entry to the NRL,” Reader said in a club statement.
“He has been a cornerstone of what we are trying to build here in the way he goes about his business with a minimum amount of fuss but with a maximum amount of effectiveness.
“Ray turns up and puts his absolute best onto the training paddock at every session and onto the field in every game.
That is why his teammates love playing with him, and his coaches love coaching him.”
Stone himself said: “I am very happy to have signed a new deal with the Dolphins.
My family have enjoyed the move to Queensland, and I am pleased at what we are building here on the field at the club.
I am excited about what this team could do over the next few years.
