Todd Payten’s North Queensland Cowboys have continued their raid on Trent Robinson’s Roosters after poaching young gun Fanafou Seve for next season, according to reports from News Corp. It comes after the Cowboys agreed a deal to sign emerging Roosters talent Ethan King earlier this year, after the 23-year-old failed to crack into Robinson’s star-studded backline at the Chooks.
Seve looks to be another astute addition for the Cowboys, who have signed the former NSW under-19 State Of Origin representative on a one-year deal from 2026. The 20-year-old was viewed as one of the Roosters’ most promising young middle forwards, and moved to the club with his brother Itula, having also played Jersey Flegg (under-21s) footy at the Canterbury Bulldogs previously.
Payten has been looking for more depth in his front-row stocks after the departure of veteran prop Jordan McLean, who decided to retire at the end of the 2025 NRL season. That could open the door for Seve to try and establish himself in the Cowboys’ 30-man squad, having starred for the Roosters and Bulldogs’ Jersey Flegg sides.
Seve is known for being a hard-running and damaging middle forward, capable of impacting games in both defence and attack. But the 20-year-old has yet to make his debut in the NRL which might suggest he’s being signed as a fringe member of the Cowboys’ squad, rather than a regular in Payten’s 17-man side.
McLean’s retirement does leave the Cowboys with a hole to fill in their forward pack next year though and if Seve can live up to his enormous potential, he might be the ideal player to fill it. It means pre-season with the Cowboys will be crucial for the 20-year-old, who could reportedly push for a first-grade debut in 2026 if he does enough to impress Payten during his first season in North Queensland.
Fanafou Seve signing continues Cowboys’ raid on Roosters
Seve will be joined in Townsville by fellow former Roosters young gun King, whose first-grade opportunities have been limited at the Tri Colours. The talented outside back earnt his NRL debut in round 18 last year, but only featured twice for Robinson’s side in 2025, leaving the Cowboys in a position to pounce.
King’s move sees him return home to North Queensland where he spent much of his youth before joining the Roosters. And the 23-year-old said after his signing in August that he’s looking forward to a new challenge with Payten’s Cowboys in 2026.
“I’m very excited (about the move), King said. “It looks like a great club looking in and I’m really keen to get up there and put my best foot forward and try to crack that side. They probably haven’t had the best year this year, but they’ve got a really great squad there and they play a great style of footy.”
This guy came through the Dogs system, left to join his brother at the Roosters in 2025 & now bails off to the Cowboys!
Let’s hope he does well up there
— Ahmed (@Ahmed_RK76) October 7, 2025
he’s a gun wish tigers looked at him
— steph (@steffff7777) October 7, 2025
Beast
— Grant Chaps Chappell (@Chapbra) October 7, 2025
King admits his best position is at fullback but with Scott Drinkwater firmly established in the No.1 role at the Cowboys, he could loom as a replacement for centre Semi Valemei, who has signed a two-year deal with Castleford in the English Super League. “I really feel like my best position is fullback. I feel like I can have a good impact on the game when I’m playing fullback,” he added.
“But at the same time, if I’m playing NRL, I’m not complaining at all. I just love playing footy, and if you want to put me on the wing or in the centres, I’m happy either way. Playing NRL’s really all I’m focused on.”
