Positive signs for Laybutt and Hess on the comeback trail

Young gun Zac Laybutt is taking heart from his 2024 pre-season in his quest to reclaim a starting centre spot for the Cowboys.

After a breakout 2023 season where he made his NRL debut and his first international appearance for PNG, Laybutt started last year as a first-choice centre, only to be struck down by an ACL injury in Round 5.

The injury ruled him out of the entire North Queensland campaign and the Pacific Championships for the Kumuls but the 23-year-old is tracking well with his recovery and almost back to full training, 

“It's obviously been a tough one; it's a big injury and hard to come back from, but (pre-season training has) been good though, as enjoyable as it can be, but, (the knee’s) come on very nicely now and getting out in the field, which is good,” Laybutt said.

“I've spoken to the coaching staff, I know where I sit, and they've been good, they've been supportive the whole way through, and Toddy [coach Todd Payten] picking me last year in the team did instill some confidence, so it'll be good to go into this year with that confidence as well.

“Starting the year, thought I had that spot solidified, but I guess I'm sort of starting again where I was this time last year; I've been through it now and I know what I need to do to get back into the team.

“Now, I'm sort of restricted a little, but I'm 100% certain I can get back to 100% and play some good footy again and get that spot back.

"Not 100% sure yet (when I will return), because we're just transitioning to full training, so we'll see how the knee holds up after that.

“But yeah, I reckon I can get some trials in, start on restricted minutes with these sorts of injuries. So, restricted minutes in the trials and then hopefully we'll be ready to go by Round 1."

Prop Coen Hess is another Cowboy on the comeback trail from an ACL rupture, who was also enjoying being back in the pre-season grind.

“I'm out there not thinking about it at all, and I think that's probably the main thing,” Hess said.

“Full confidence in it, done a lot of hard work and back playing footy, so I'm happy.”

During his time on the sidelines, the former Maroons forward said he did what he could to distract himself, including attempting to break a long-standing record of a club legend.

“(My focus was) bench press. I couldn't run or anything, so I was trying to break Carl Webb's record, but he's still got it,” Hess said.

“I got pretty close, but I was trying to put on a bit of weight and now I'm paying the price for that because I'm out running in the heat and it's not going too well, but I've trimmed back down and that's out of my mind now and I can just focus on footy, which is probably my main priority.”

Hess, who has moved between the front and back row for the Cowboys since his debut, expected that this year he’d be used solely up front, with recruits John Bateman and Kai O’Donnell working hard to step up in place of Heilum Luki, who has his own journey ahead of him with an ACL tear.