Northern Pride 2024: Ewan Moore leads Queensland Cup resignings

The man rated the best Northern Pride player of their run to the Hostplus Cup finals by his peers is looking ahead to what will be an exciting, yet very different, campaign in 2024.

Matthew McInerney

@MMcInerney89

2 min read

October 20, 2023 - 11:01AM

News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom

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The man rated the best Northern Pride player of their run to the Hostplus Cup finals by his peers is looking ahead to what will be an exciting, yet very different, campaign in 2024.

Ewan Moore is among the slew of players who have recommitted to the Pride for 2024, with player of the year Evan Child, most improved Jaymon Moore, and best back Will Partridge among those to have already been announced to return to Barlow Park.

While there will be significant change as former Brothers man Eric Smith takes the reins from Ty Williams as head coach, plenty will stay the same as plenty of Pride players commit their future to another campaign in the Far North.

Northern Pride’s Ewan Moore had an outstanding season. Picture: Brendan Radke

“It says we’re heading in the right direction,” Moore said.

“We’ve got the group we want, all the boys want to keep playing together.

“If we can keep improving, like we did last year, we’ll go real close.”

Moore capped an outstanding individual season for the Pride by being named the senior team’s player’s player, which for the men who wear the jersey week in, week out, is among the most highly coveted gongs up for grabs.

It is the award voted upon by teammates and fellow players, one which proves an individual has not only earned the respect of their peers but also that their efforts were recognised.

“It’s always good getting the boys’ recognition,” Moore said.

“Knowing the boys love playing with you, it’s a great feeling, and a massive honour to get that award.

“It did feel like I was having one of my better years. I got a lot of confidence from playing in that Cowboys trial match, and I feel I carried that out for most of the year.

“It gave me a lot of confidence to know I can do it ... and knowing I could play against NRL-calibre players in that trial match made me think I can play against just about anyone. It made me feel like I could do a lot.”

Pride's Ewan Moore runs through a gap in the Hostplus Cup clash with Western Clydesdales at Barlow Park. Picture: Brendan Radke

For Moore, it caps a campaign in which he took his game to another level and proved he could mix it with the premier second-rowers in the business.

Moore started the calendar year in action for the Cowboys, lining up for North Queensland in their trial against the Dolphins at Barlow Park, and ended with a team-high 10 tries in 20 Hostplus Cup appearances - the last of which was a heartbreaking 15-14 loss to Wynnum-Manly in golden point of an elimination final.

“It was an unreal season,” Moore said.

“We proved a lot of people wrong, it was good being the only feeder team from the Cowboys to make finals.

“Then to only go one point down, it hurt, but it’s a good sign of where we’re going.

“It does suck, looking back on it, but it shows how close we were and what we can do.

“It’s a good sign, we’re only going to get better being in games like that.

“The boys will get some good experience out of it and hopefully when we get into those positions again next year we can win.”