North Queensland Cowboys second-rower Heilum Luki could be seriously considering a move away from the club at the end of the 2024 season after touring the St George Illawarra Dragons.

The forward, who has overcome plenty of injury battles in recent seasons, is one of four second-rowers who will be competing for minutes at the Cowboys in 2024.

He is joined by Luciano Leilua, Kulikefu Finefeuiaki and Jeremiah Nanai, with three spots only likely to be available for the quartet.

It has led to suggestions that the Cowboys are weighing up their options over moving one of the four on, although that's a claim the club has very publically denied.

But where there is smoke there is fire. The Canberra Raiders are desperate for a second-rower and could chase Leilua if the Cowboys elect to let him go, but it's Luki who could make the most immediate decision, with a player option that is yet to be taken up for 2025. Nanai (2027) and Leilua (2025) are both on contract beyond the end of 2024, while Finefuiaki is believed to have signed an upgraded deal.

The Sydney Morning Herald is reporting that Luki though has not yet taken his player option up for 2025, and has instead recently toured facilities at the St George Illawarra Dragons in Wollongong.

The 22-year-old is consistently rated as one of the best young players in the game but has yet to reach his full potential after being hampered by injuries and selection issues in Townsville who have had an abundance of second-rowers across his career. Despite that, he has managed 38 NRL appearances, scoring ten tries and impressing.

Incoming Dragons coach Shane Flanagan has made no secret of his desire to rapidly revamp the Dragons, and Luki could well be a part of that plan.

The club, who yesterday added Corey Allan to one of their vacant roster spots for 2024, have plenty of wiggle room for 2025 in both spots and salary cap and are believed to have big money offers on the table for all of Joseph Manu, Addin Fonua-Blake and another of Luki's Cowboys teammates in Thomas Dearden.

Luki, born in Cairns, has played his entire career for the Cowboys to date.