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Cowboys out to put North Queensland on the map in US
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Ask Cowboys co-captain Reuben Cotter what image he believes Americans have of North Queensland and he admits: “They probably think of Crocodile Dundee”.
“North Queensland covers a pretty wide footprint, far north up past Cairns and all the way out to Mt Isa, so it will be exciting to travel to the United States and showcase the North Queensland Cowboys to a global audience,” Cotter said.
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With a population of 250,000 spread across 80,000 km2, North Queensland is best known for its wildlife, natural wonders - and the Cowboys.
The Academy Award winning Paul Hogan blockbuster, Crocodile Dundee, about the adventures of an outback character in New York, was also largely filmed in North Queensland and became a huge hit in the USA.
“I don’t think Americans would know much about North Queensland. Townsville is a small town, and our fan base comes from far and wide,” Cotter said.
They probably think of the Outback and steak houses … and hard-working farmers, fishing and the outdoors when we speak about North Queensland.
“There’s plenty of crocs up north, in the creeks, so that's probably one thing that comes to mind for Americans. And yeh, they probably think of Crocodile Dundee.”
As the only Queensland team playing in Vegas in 2026, Cotter said the Cowboys would be representing the entire state and urged fans to get behind the side he co-captains with Maroons and Kangaroos team-mate Tom Dearden.
“Tommy is one of the great players in the game at the moment, and Scotty Drinkwater is the same, they can turn it on pretty easily so it will be great to showcase their attacking game over in America,” Cotter said.
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“I think Americans will like the brand of footy that we play; it is a bit different to the NFL where they wear all the hit pads and helmets.
"In the NRL it is just body on body contact, so it is quite physical and that’s why they will love it.”
Cowboys team-mates John Bateman and Murray Taulagi are also excited about the opportunity to open the 2026 season in Las Vegas after watching how the event has developed in the past two seasons.
Bateman has spoken to former Raiders team-mates and also team-mates in the England Test team who played for Wigan and Warrington at Allegiant Stadium on March 1.
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“They all said it was unbelievable so it will be a good thing for us to do,” Bateman said.
“For me personally, I think rugby league is the best game in the world. I have watched soccer, and I don’t think it has a patch on rugby league, and I don’t think rugby union has got a patch on rugby league.
It is the greatest game of all so we need to showcase the game as much as we can.
“Quite a lot of the boys here are looking forward to it because I don’t think many of them have been so it will be a great thing for the club to take our brand and what we are about and showcase it in America.”
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With the North Queensland Cowboys sharing a nickname with the Dallas Cowboys, Taulagi suggested the club could form a relationship with the famous NFL franchise.
"I wouldn't mind making a pitstop to Dallas to see the NFL Cowboys team. That would be pretty cool, and it would be pretty special to play that first game for the club in America," Taulagi said.
