The North Queensland Cowboys are tapping into their homegrown talent, with the club's rising stars helping spark an early-season resurgence.
The Cowboys are Queensland's leading NRL side on the ladder, sitting in seventh place with a 3-3 win-loss record after the opening six rounds of the minor premiership.
But they could easily be just below the undefeated Penrith Panthers on the standings, as two of their three losses have been by two points or less.
Regardless, they have some of their young talent to thank for their early-season improvements.
Tom Dearden (21 years old), Jeremiah Nanai (19), Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (20) and Heilum Luki (21) have been just some of the stand-outs for North Queensland so far this season, with each of them producing match-winning moments.
The quartet share some things in common: they are North Queenslanders, were all born this millennium and plied their trade as young footballers at some of the state's best rugby league nurseries.
Nanai is a product of Townsville's Kirwan State High School.
The teenager, who has played 10 NRL matches since debuting last year, sat equal third on this season's try-scoring standings with five at the beginning of round seven.
Nanai said playing for Kirwan — known as the Bears — was pivotal to his smooth transition into professional rugby league.
"I gained a lot from going to Kirwan High, from just working hard and just putting your head down," he told ABC Sport.
"You've got to wake up early … three times a week [for training] at the school … it's different. It's a good footy school and a good education school and people love going there.
Nanai was recruited by the Cowboys in his mid-teens. He skipped Schoolies in 2020 after graduating to undertake his first preseason as an NRL player.
It is a decision that is now helping him reap rewards in the infancy of his NRL career.
"I came straight from school, straight to footy and that was a really big move," he said.
"I think [my form] has been pretty good so far. Had a couple of games under my belt now … so I'm kind of used to the game now and how fast it is and trying to work around that.
"I'm starting to grow and getting used to my body playing against stronger bodies and bigger bodies."
While it may be considered ambitious, Nanai's next goal is to earn a call-up to represent his state as early as this year.
'A fair bit of pride'
Kirwan State High is considered an NRL factory.
Year after year, the Townsville school produces ready-made players for the elite level of rugby league.
Tabuai-Fidow — who made his State of Origin debut for Queensland last year at the age of 19 — is another former Bear, adding to a long list of alumni playing in the NRL.
Seven players are set to feature across NRL matches this round.
"We have a wall in the school gym with photos of all the NRL players and we've got well over 30, and six or seven we still have to put up from the last couple of years," said Kirwan deputy principal Dave Ackers, who is a former Bears coach.
"To see them competing at that level — with Hamiso already playing Origin and Jeremiah playing consistent first grade — we take a fair bit of pride in watching them play.
"Our program is here to prepare them on and off the field for that transition into NRL."
According to Ackers, there is more talent to come out of the Townsville school, including former Bronco and Cowboy Antonio Winterstein's younger brother, Vinjenzo (or VJ), "a talented outside back" in year 12 who has already signed with the Cowboys.
Dearden finds his home
Dearden's rugby league journey started in Mackay, south of Townsville.
The 21-year-old has been somewhat of a journeyman in his path to the Cowboys.
"I grew up in Mackay and I played a lot of footy in Mackay," Dearden said.
"I then went down to the Gold Coast and went to school down there at Palm Beach Currumbin State High School.
"They had really good teachers and staff members and they had some ex-NRL players that were actually at the school and they were working with students and working with the rugby league program they had there … that was really good for the development of young players coming through school."
Dearden then signed with the Brisbane Broncos but struggled to consolidate a spot in first grade after making his debut in 2019.
He opted to continue his career back in North Queensland with the Cowboys.
"I think it's been a really awesome move," Dearden said.
"Obviously, I struggled a bit to start my career well and I think I've come up here and I've really worked hard on my game and worked closely with the coaches and I think they've put a lot of trust and brought the belief back in myself, which has been a big help with my footy and me trying to put a good career together."
Dearden was third for try assists in the NRL heading into round seven with six, sitting behind only Parramatta duo Mitchell Moses and Dylan Brown.
His Cowboys captain and new halves partner, Chad Townsend, said the young playmaker's rise in 2022 had been inspirational.
"I think for me, the thing that I've been impressed the most with has been his work ethic and the way he dedicates himself to his game," Townsend said.
"He's ticked all the boxes, he's got himself in a great position where now he can play the football that he knows he can, and we back him 100 per cent."
