Cowboys partner with Hull KR ahead of Vegas venture
- Author
- Timestamp
North Queensland and Hull KR will hold an opposed training session in Las Vegas, while the two clubs have urged their fans to unite in support of both teams at Allegiant Stadium in 2026.
The Cowboys and Robins, who will take part in Rugby League Las Vegas 2026, have announced a formal partnership ahead of the February 28 triple header at Allegiant Stadium.
North Queensland and Hull KR have been working together for six months to craft a unique and meaningful partnership to mutually benefit both clubs on and off the field.
Other NRL and Super League clubs are believed to be considering closer working relationships.
The Cowboys' partnership with Hull KR, who recently won the Challenge Cup and are currently leading the Super League competition, involves the development of on and off field pathways and working groups.
Cross-club working groups will be established to meet monthly across senior teams, academy and the off-field commercial side of the clubs.
The CEOs of each club will then meet bi-monthly to discuss and review the learnings from each group.
With the Cowboys and Robins both travelling to Las Vegas for the 2026 Festival of Rugby League, the two teams will take part in an opposed session in the lead up to the big day at Allegiant Stadium on February 28.
The Cowboys will face the Knights, while the Robins take on Leeds Rhinos, with the Bulldogs and Dragons the other clubs involved in the NRL's third foray to Las Vegas.
It's on again!
Hull KR are coached by Willie Peters and their team includes former Cowboys centre Peta Hiku, along with England playmaker Mikey Lewis, PNG captain Rhyse Martin and former Panthers five-eighth Tyrone May.
"Our first interaction with them will be on the ground in Las Vegas in February next year," North Queensland CEO Jeff Reibel said.
"It's really pretty cool, Willie Peters, the coach of Hull KR, and Todd [Payten] actually have a really close relationship, they coached together and have followed a similar pathway in their journeys.
"There is quite a lot of crossovers. Lachlan Coote played over there, Justin Morgan, who is our assistant coach, used to coach Hull KR and Kane Linnett, who was named in our team of the last 30 years, had quite a successful career there."
More than 20,000 Robins fans travelled to London to watch their team beat Warrington 8-6 in the Challenge Cup final at Wembley on June 7.
Reibel said Cowboys and Hull KR supporters were encouraged to back their new friends from the other side of the world inside the stadium on the day.
“Hull KR are a club whose values and ambitions closely mirror our own," Reibel said.
"As high-performing organisations in the NRL and Super League respectively, both clubs are committed to long-term success while delivering genuine community impact.
'This is a strategic alliance': Reibel on Hull KR partnership
“This partnership opens development opportunities for our staff and organisation as a whole. It aligns with our focus on evolving our operations and learning from like-minded organisations to ensure we remain progressive and competitive.
“Importantly, it does not alter our existing player pathways system. It is designed to enhance our broader organisational capability by connecting with another performance driven club committed to growth.
“We look forward to the opportunity for our two clubs to come together in person in Las Vegas in 2026 to build further on the shared foundations we’ve begun to establish.”
NRL stars keen to build on Vegas success
Hull KR Chief Executive, Paul Lakin, said: "This is a fantastic opportunity for us to understand the inner workings of a well resourced NRL club. From first team to off field, there’s so much we can share with each other and learn from.
“Like us, the Cowboys operate slightly outside the traditional ‘bubble’ and place a big emphasis on incremental growth, community development and the matchday experience to grow.
“This is not about signing or stealing each other’s talent, it’s a meaningful partnership for genuine mutual benefit including potential job swaps, and opportunities for our academy to tour Queensland.
“We were attracted to the Cowboys because of the similar straight forward approach to things, and their strong community values which are also important to us.
“We are keen to emphasise, this is not an announcement we will make, and then we sit on the shelf, this will be a proactive relationship, that has six months of planning behind it, which we look forward to progressing over the coming years.”
