Jake Clifford

Tully Tigers junior Jake Clifford first came to the Cowboys in 2016 as a junior member of Aaron Payne’s NYC team.

After being named 2017 NYC Player of the Year, Clifford was rewarded with a two-year contract in the Cowboys’ senior squad.

Clifford made his first-grade debut in Round 19 of 2018 against St George Illawarra, partnering Johnathan Thurston in the halves.

Despite playing just 16 games, Clifford was named a finalist for the Queensland Cup Player of the Year Award and claimed the competition’s Rookie of the Year gong. He was also named Cowboys Rookie of the Year and nabbed man of the match honours in Queensland’s under 20s State of Origin victory over NSW.

Over the course of four seasons with the Cowboys, Clifford appeared in 42 games, scoring seven tries and booting 19 goals.

Clifford spent time with the Newcastle Knights and Hull FC between 2021-2023, before signing a one-year contract to return home to North Queensland for the 2024 season.

Clifford is contracted until the end of the 2024 season.