The North Queensland Cowboys have been linked with a move to two hookers from rival clubs as they prepare for their Round 1 match against the Manly Sea Eagles.
The Cowboys will begin their 2025 NRL season on Saturday night, but that hasn't stopped rumours from emerging that they may look to make another signing before the June 30 deadline.
Recruiting the quartet of Jaxson Paulo, John Bateman, Kai O'Donnell and Karl Lawton in the off-season, the club still have one spot left in their Top 30 roster and have been linked to two dummy-halves who would be able to provide coverage for Reece Robson during State of Origin time or if he is sidelined with an injury.
As it stands Karl Lawton is the obvious choice to replace Robson in the No.9 jersey or they could potentially look to development player Zac Herdegen or move one of their playmakers - Jake Clifford or Tom Duffy - to the hooker role.
However, rumours have suggested that either Jayden Brailey (Newcastle Knights) or Tyson Smoothy (Brisbane Broncos) may find themselves at the club this season, making them a permanent back-up option.
"I'm hearing Tyson Smoothy or Jayden Brailey to the Cowboys before June 30," Scott Sattler said on SEN Sportsday with Scott Sattler and Mat Rogers.
"If he [Reece Robson] goes down, there's no one there that's got some experience."
Linked with several teams over the past few months, Brailey has been on the outs of the Knights as they look to rebuild their roster and free up space in their salary cap.
Demoted from the club's leadership group, this year is set to make the $600,000 hooker's final season at Newcastle as he runs off-contract at the end of the 2025 NRL season.
Playing second-fiddle to youngster Phoenix Crossland at times, Brailey has featured in 61 matches for the Knights in five seasons since moving away from the Shire, where he managed 69 games for the Cronulla Sharks between 2017 and 2019.
Meanwhile, the link to Smoothy comes days after it was confirmed that he would depart the Brisbane Broncos at the end of the season to take up an opportunity with Wakefield Trinity in the Super League from 2026 onwards.
Playing 31 matches at Red Hill since he arrived in 2023, he has fallen down the pecking order recently in favour of Ben Hunt, Blake Mozer, Billy Walters and Cory Paix after Michael Maguire joined the club as head coach.
