The Cowboys will have a fight on their hands to keep star youngster Jason Taumalolo beyond 2015.
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North Queensland face an uphill battle to retain Jason Taumalolo after his impressive end-of-season form with the Cowboys and New Zealand in the Four Nations.
The Courier Mail report that ten rival NRL clubs are interested in the 21-year-old’s services.
Taumalolo comes off contract at the Cowboys at the end of the 2015 season and it is believed he is keen to test his value on the open market.
Despite the huge interest in Taumalolo, Cowboys football manager Peter Parr told The Courier Mail that the club was well-placed to hold onto the Kiwi beyond 2015.
“I’m confident we can keep Jason. I’ve spoken to his manager and we are ready to table a deal and go from informal to formal talks when they are ready,” Parr told The Courier Mail.
“I would be surprised if we couldn’t work something out, but given the interest Jason will attract, you don’t take anything for granted.
“His agent (Chris Orr) doesn’t want to do anything until Jason’s commitments are finished in the Four Nations. Once they are finished, we will have a good discussion about how to keep him at the Cowboys.
“Jason has been with us since he was 14 and we’ve had no indication that he wants to go anywhere else.
“But I’m a realist, he is only 21 and is playing some outstanding football, so we won’t be the only club interested in Jason.”
Taumalolo has been a key figure in New Zealand’s run to the Four Nations final, helping the Kiwis defeat Australia, Samoa and England in three consecutive matches.
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