Outgoing Brisbane Broncos coach Anthony Griffin may have let the cat out of the bag last Friday but North Queensland have confirmed the signing of hooker Jake Granville on a two-year deal starting in 2015.
The confirmation of Granville's signature comes less than 24 hours after the Cowboys had announced that they had secured Townsville-born Storm Tim Glasby, also on a two-year deal.
An Intrust Super Cup winner under current North Queensland coach Paul Green at Wynnum-Manly, Granville will challenge for the starting No.9 role at the Cowboys when he arrives for pre-season training in November.
The position has remained a problem one for the club ever since the retirement of club stalwart Aaron Payne and the departure of James Segeyaro both at the end of the 2012 season but the addition of Granville adds further depth to the No.9 role.
Ray Thompson finished the 2013 season strongly at hooker and has been used there again this season along with Rory Kostjasyn (14 games) and Anthony Mitchell (one game) but Granville's energy out of dummy-half and history with Green made him an enticing prospect.
Now 25, Granville played his junior football with Rockhampton Brothers before joining Wynnum. He had a season with the Broncos under-20s in 2009 and eventually made his NRL debut for Brisbane in Round 13 last year.
With six matches on his NRL record in 2014, he has now totalled eight for his career, including two as the starting hooker when first-choice Broncos hooker Andrew McCullough was injured recently.
“Jake can see an opportunity to play more regular first grade football by coming to the Cowboys,” Cowboys general manager football Peter Parr said.
“Anyone who has seen him play knows that he has the ability to become a regular in the first 17.
“He’s quick off the mark, a solid defender and has good service from dummy-half.
“We’re sure he’ll enjoy being back with Paul Green and will be a big contributor over the next two seasons.”