The North Queensland Cowboys have confirmed five players will depart the club at the end of the 2021 season.
Shane Wright is the latest name to join the list, while it had previously been announced that both Michael Morgan and Justin O'Neill were retiring, while Corey Jensen, who is noted as one of the better defenders in the game, will join the Broncos and Francis Molo is off to the St George Illawarra Dragons.
Morgan has been the longest-known name on the list, having retired on medical grounds in April, while O'Neill was only officially retired almost a fortnight ago as he battled a major knee problem which has severely limited his ability to play games in the last 24 months.
Wright, however, doesn't have an NRL deal for 2022. His one-year extension for 2021 hasn't been afforded to continue in 2022, despite the fact he played 16 games for the Townsville-based club this year.
Formerly an important cog in the forward rotation for Todd Payten, Wright has fallen by the wayside in recent weeks as Helium Luki, Ben Condon and Jeremiah Nanai introduced themselves to first grade alongside Coen Hess and Mitchell Dunn.
The impact of his loss will be minimised on the Cowboys, and with most clubs approaching the completion of their roster for 2022, it's unclear if the 25-year-old will be able to pick up a deal in the NRL.
Despite the five departures, the Cowboys' list of incoming players is still incredibly short, with only Peta Hiku and Chad Townsend linking up with the club on two and three-year deals respectively.
