Anyone know much about the Cowboys forward all I hear is potential is through the roof probably just needs a chance. I didn't think it was worth a full article on foxsports. There wasn't one on Kane Bradley going to Cowboys other than like 1 line in the article I'm talking about. Looks like now we are signing experienced players on cheaper 1-2 year contracts and younger guys on 3 year contracts so I think going forward they have worked out the right Formula.
Tukimihia Simpkins is the guy.
I am happy for the club to take a punt on this but I will say I am a bit concerned that we are offering a 3 year NRL top 30 contract to a bloke who seemingly has not played too much RL? He seemed to have plenty of wraps when the Cowboys signed him at the end of 2019 (quotes from Townsville bulletin article Sept 19 below) but he has not played any footy in their junior grades on the back of COVID in 2020.
If anyone has any highlights of this guy it would be great to see something.
Cheers
HE IS the towering teenager that has turned heads across the ditch and now Kiwi young gun Tukimihia Simpkins will get a chance to do it in the NRL.
The 17-year-old monster has been on the Cowboys radar for several years, and was upgraded to a first grade contract earlier this week.
He is expected to land in Townsville in November to begin pre-season training with the first grade squad under coach Paul Green.
But Cowboys director of football Peter Parr told the Townsville Bulletin the club did not want to heap the pressure on the young firebrand as he prepares to face a steep league learning curve.
The Rotorua Boys High School student was spotted by Cowboys recruitment manager Clint Zammit during the New Zealand under-15s National Championships three years ago, and offered a contract soon after.
“(Simpkins) has excelled at both rugby union and rugby league,” Parr said. “Clint saw him over in New Zealand. He was really impressed with what he produced, we thought he had a brilliant future.
“We worked really hard to attract him to us, I know Clint has always had a really big wrap on Tuki. Right from when he came back from New Zealand (that first time), he was glowing about how he played.
“He will be here in November to take up his dream. Despite the fact that he is in the top 30 squad, we will take it easy on him. We don’t want to place too much expectation on him, we don’t want to put undue pressure on him.
“It is a big move coming across to Townsville and he has a big learning curve ahead of him. We will take it step by step with him.”
A junior rugby sensation, the Cowboys had to fight off several high-profile Super Rugby clubs and
NRL rivals to secure the teenager’s signature.
He has since represented his country at schoolboy level in both rugby union and rugby league, while also travelling to Australia to participate in Cowboys elite development camps.
He pulled on the Cowboys jersey earlier this year as part of the junior development squad which took on Gold Coast Titans at CBUS Super Stadium in June.
Parr said he expected senior members in the Cowboys squad, including Jason Taumalolo who made a similar move to Townsville to chase his dream, would be quick to take Simpkins under their wings.
“Our belief is that he has all the skill to become a really good NRL player but we all know talent will only take you so far,” Parr said.
“He needs to do all the right things with his training and preparation. The professionalism, routines, diet and training structures. That will be a learning curve for him.
“Our senior players have a great record of looking after young players. Look at the way Frank Molo has only improved over the last year or so. I would expect he will have some really good role models here to learn from.
“(Simpkins) looks very impressive in everything he does but this is going to be a whole new world for him. Training all the time, competing day in and day out with NRL players.
“We are excited about his potential but we have to make sure the expectation is not too high on him.”
