Jesse Ramien Joins Cowboys on Two-Year Deal for 2027
Jesse Ramien is headed to North Queensland, and the Cowboys have added Sione Katoa on two-year deals for the 2027 and 2028 NRL seasons. The pair will link up with the club in November for pre-season, giving the Cowboys two established outside backs well before those seasons begin.
Ramien and Katoa to Townsville
The move brings Ramien and Katoa across from the Cronulla Sharks, and it arrives after both players were heavily linked with leaving in recent weeks. For North Queensland, the signings lock in two more pieces for a backline that is already filling out through 2028.
Clint Zammit said the additions reshape the group immediately. “The signings of Jesse and Sione significantly upgrades the level of depth in our backline,” he said. “They join Tom Chester, Braidon Burns, Rob Derby, Jaxon Purdue and James Walsh in being signed until at least the end of 2028, which creates great stability in the backline for our club.”
Ramien’s 176-game record
Ramien brings 176 NRL appearances since debuting in 2017. Zammit described him as a player who has “been in the top echelon of centres in the NRL for the better part of a decade,” and added: “He's experienced, can break tackles and is a strong defender.”
Katoa’s numbers point to a different edge. He has played 134 NRL games since debuting in 2018, scored 85 NRL tries and has 10 Tests for Tonga. Zammit called him “a wonderful finisher” who “carries the ball strongly out of his own end.”
Cowboys backline through 2028
The signings also tighten the club’s longer-range plans. The Cowboys already have several outside backs locked in until at least the end of 2028, and the addition of Ramien and Katoa extends that group further into the next two seasons.
The next step for both players is the November pre-season, when they join the Cowboys and begin fitting into the structure the club has already built for 2027 and 2028. For North Queensland, the move is less about waiting for those seasons than about arriving with a fuller, older, and more settled backline before they start.
