North Queensland CEO Jeff Reibel says the club remains confident of keeping gun off-contract second-rowers Heilum Luki and Kulikefu Finefeuiaki long-term.
The early departure of back-rower Luciano Leilua to St George Illawarra last month has freed up salary cap space for the two rising stars.
Luki is close to winning State of Origin selection for Queensland while Finefuiaki had a breakout season in 2023.
Reibel said Leilua's exit allowed the club to "make sure those other guys we are looking at are firmly in our sights for this year and beyond.
"Yes, we are confident," Reibel said of keeping the pair.
"We are still talking to the management of Heilum and Kulikefu.
"They are both fine young men and both good on and off the field with what they do.
"They have bought firmly into our system in North Queensland and want to be part of that. We will continue talking to their management and make sure we get the best outcome."
Reibel said there were no hard feelings with Leilua and hoped he was a success at the Dragons.
"From Luciano's perspective we wish him well," Reibel said.
"He didn't really settle up in Townsville. He had some tragedies over the time he was up there.
"We felt that maybe he was letting go the off-field (discipline) and that was starting to effect on-field."
Luki and Finefuiaki will line up on Sunday against the Dolphins at Suncorp Stadium.
The Cowboys are hoping to improve on last season, when they failed to make the top eight after reaching the preliminary final in 2022.
Reibel said the club was in good hands with head coach Todd Payten.
"Todd would always say that as a head coach you always have pressure to deliver results," Reibel said.
"There is not a finer young coach than Todd Payten in the game. The way that he can communicate and engage with different age groups that we have in the team is a strength that he has."
The Cowboys have changed captains in 2024 with No.6 Tom Dearden and forward Reuben Cotter replacing veterans Jason Taumalolo and Chad Townsend.
"Chad and Jase have been wonderful leaders for the club and will continue to be," Reibel said.
"I think there are some lessons we learned a few years ago when Johnathan Thurston, Matthew Scott and Gavin Cooper left a leadership vacuum. Then Michael Morgan medically retired.
"What we needed to do was look to the future. Both (Cotter and Dearden) are local North Queensland juniors who are so passionate about our region.
"The opportunity for them is future-proofing our club."
