North Queensland has locked down Jaxon Purdue for the next four years, re-signing the young gun just a week after he demolished the St George Illawarra Dragons in one of the best showings yet that he’s going to be a future superstar.
Several NRL clubs had been sniffing around the 20-year-old in recent months, with the Melbourne Storm, Canterbury Bulldogs, and Perth Bears all inquiring about his availability. Purdue was off-contract at the end of the season and free to negotiate any deal.
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The Cowboys ramped things up after those three clubs came knocking, with those at the club desperate not to give up one of the best young juniors they’d produced in some seasons. Purdue’s management had been holding off from speaking about anything else until North Queensland brass agreed to a four-year contract length — which the Cowboys bosses eventually agreed to.
Announced today mid-arvo, Purdue’s deal is worth at least $750,000 a season and will see the 20-year-old signed up to 2030.
It’s a major coup for the Cowboys, who will now continue to groom Purdue to either swap into the halves alongside State of Origin halfback Tom Dearden or replace Scott Drinkwater at No.1. North Queensland has been eager to move Drinkwater on for some time.
Purdue played most of his junior footy at either fullback or five-eighth before coming up to first grade, but has spent most of his time at centre so far. Since debuting in 2024, he’s scored 20 tries in 37 games, including 13 in 14 last year.
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Some months ago, Purdue had called on the Cowboys’ retention powerbrokers to sit down with him and lock him down. “I do love the Cowboys, and I’ve grown up going for them my whole life,” he said of his future last month. “It’s such a good feeling when I put the Cowboys jersey on, and I know that mum and dad love it, so we’ll see what happens.”
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In the short-term, Purdue is still expected to stay at centre for the foreseeable future while Jake Clifford partners Dearden at six. The 20-year-old has been named there for Friday night’s derby against the Broncos in Brisbane.
