After forcing his way back into Todd Payten's first-choice 17 with a strong pre-season, Kyle Feldt now sits on the verge of surpassing a Cowboys legend in the history books.
Having fallen down the pecking order and out of the NRL side through the middle part of last season, Feldt returned to first grade for the back end of 2023 but faced a serious challenge to stay in the team given the presence of Murray Taulagi and Semi Valemei on the wings.
His three-try showing in the club's final Pre-Season Challenge clash effectively stamped his ticket for Round 1 and he was again among his side's best performers in last week's 43-18 win over the Dolphins to kick off the season.
The 32-year-old former Maroons representative ran for a game-high 205 metres and scored a try which puts him within one of equaling Matt Bowen's all-time club record of 130.
“I knew when I came back [this year] I had to put my best foot forward and show not only Todd, but the other coaching staff, that I was the man for the job," Feldt said.
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"Hopefully Sunday I [plead] my case to push forward.
“I think [Round 1] was a great example that I still have a lot in the tank.
"My drive's a little bit more now, I've got a kid, another one on the way, so I just want to be able to go out there and make my wife and my kids proud."
Having made his NRL debut in a backline which included Bowen – in what turned out to be the club great's final season in North Queensland in 2013 – Feldt knows all too well how it will be viewed if and when he overtakes 'Mango' as the Cowboys' all-time leading try-scorer.
“I haven't really been thinking about it [the record] too much until now," Feldt said.
“It's always going to be something that's playing in the back of my mind... it's a good accolade, a really good accolade to have, but [for now] I'm still chasing it.”
While tries are the natural talking point right now, Feldt's selection for Round 1 had more to do with his ability to stop the other team from scoring them.
Over the pre-season, Payten and his coaching staff kept a log of the tries conceded during opposed sessions and who was at fault for them.
“I thought [Kyle] improved on the end of the defensive line," Payten said.
“We've kept a tally of tries conceded in all of our opposed sessions... he had his nose in front in terms of our right wing position and that's why he's there."
Feldt is set to have a chance to equal Bowen this Saturday night on home soil when the Cowboys host the Knights at Queensland Country Bank Stadium.
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