Strength in depth is not always associated with the Wellington Cowboys but a number of eye-catching off-season signings has created plenty of confidence at the club.
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Manassah Timu from the Dolphins system headlines the signings for the 2024 Peter McDonald Premiership while Mason Williams, Richard Peckham, Logan Conn and Brodie Ford have all returned to the club.
Timu, 22, will be one to watch this year after the hard-running back-rower showed plenty of pace and power as well as a handy off-loading ability north of the border in 2023.
"He's a really enthusiastic young kid," Cowboys captain-coach Justin Toomey-White said.
"He's really warmed to the club and what our values are and where we want to be.
"He's hit the ground running at training and it's exciting to see what he can do and mix it in with our already young, up-and-coming forward pack.
"The new signings, a few of them are older players that have previously lived and breathed the club and then we've got some new players to the club too."
After a horror 2022 season which featured just one victory, the Cowboys rebounded in style last year and played some outstanding footy on their way to the second week of the finals.
The marquee homecoming of former Australian and Origin representative Blake Ferguson played a role in that success but the club's player of the year won't be back in 2024 after signing for Kurri Kurri.
The departure is a huge blow for the club but Ferguson remains the only major loss during the off-season.
That ability to retain players, along with the signings, and the formation of an under 18s team has everyone associated with the Cowboys optimistic they can build on what was developed on and off the field last year.
"That was the focus of the club and the committee, to continue to build and take steps forward rather than two forward and then three steps back," Toomey-White said.
"We'll just continue to work hard and it's really exciting with the eighteens.
"We're getting 20-to-22 under 18s training every session and league tag is there training as well so, as a club, it's really exciting."
The return of Williams and Peckham is another welcome boost for the Cowboys.
Both have spent large chunks of their careers with the club but played with Nyngan and Macquarie respectively in 2023.
Both offer plenty of versatility with Williams a halves option alongside 2023 stars Rylee Blackhall and Jai Merritt while Peckham could form part of the hooker rotation alongside Jacob Wilson and Elijah Collis.
Prop Conn adds another body to the forward pack while there were plenty of glimpses of promise when Ford was given a chance on the wing for Macquarie last year.
"Depth is something we want to have in our club," Toomey-White said.
"We can't control injuries and the spine of our team did an amazing job last year and we're lucky to re-sign and now we add Mason and Richie to the mix with the experience.
"It's really good to have that experience back around the boys and their leadership has already been known at training.
""I've said to the boys that training will take care of itself and with positions nothing is set in stone.
"Let's train hard and see what we can put on the field in round one."
As positive as the signings are, it has created a slight headache in terms of the club's NSWRL Player Points Index System.
The Cowboys are getting close to the cap limit after players like Williams - despite spending six years at Wellington previously - bumped up in points value after spending last year at Nyngan.
The Cowboys are currently finalising their points with NSWRL will the club has also set a trial clash with the Parkes Spacemen.
Wellington will start the 2024 season away at Nyngan on the weekend of April 27/28.
Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
