Pryce Mara, 13, tells his story as a boarding student from Bamaga on the 2026 Cowboys NRL and NRLW Indigenous Round jerseys. Photo: Cowboys Community Foundation.
After taking centre stage on the footy field, the stories and culture of Cape York and Torres Strait youth will now help create meaningful opportunities for others supported by the Cowboys Community Foundation.
The artistic minds of Bamaga 13-year-old Pryce Mara and fellow boarding students at NRL Cowboys House were the centre of the North Queensland Toyota Cowboys’ 2026 Indigenous Round auction, which invited supporters to bid on match-worn jerseys and one-of-a-kind boots.
Mara’s striking artwork, Ngaw Gidha (my story), inspired this year’s Indigenous Round jersey, while the boots worn by Cowboys NRL and NRLW players were individually designed and hand-painted by students during Term 2.
Cowboys outside back Braidon Burns said wearing boots designed by Year 7 boarder Tei’Ya’Lee Mosby-Loban, originally from Muralag on the Torres Strait, gave him an extra boost of cultural connection during the Indigenous Round.
“Tei’Ya’Lee’s artwork is all about family, culture and the importance of knowing where you come from,” he said.
“My possum totem features on the boots alongside symbols representing our connection to ancestors, Country and identity. It’s a really special reminder that stories and traditions are what keep culture strong for future generations.
“To be able to wear artwork created by one of our young people during Indigenous Round is an incredible privilege. I hope Tei’Ya’Lee and all of the students know just how proud we are to represent their stories on the field.”
The NRL Cowboys House is one of the foundation’s key programs, removing distance as a barrier to quality education for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from remote communities.
During their time at the boarding facility in Townsville, students are encouraged to celebrate and take pride in their culture and home through projects such as the boot design.
Cowboys Community Foundation CEO Fiona Pelling said every piece told a story, and every dollar raised helped create another.
“These jerseys and boots represent powerful stories of culture, identity and belonging,” she said.
“Through NRL Cowboys House, our students are encouraged to celebrate who they are, and this project has given them an incredible platform to share those stories with thousands of people across Australia.
“Every bid supports the Cowboys Community Foundation while recognising the extraordinary talent of our young people. We’re incredibly proud to see their artwork worn by our players and now available for supporters to own as a lasting piece of Indigenous Round.”
Following the NRL jerseys and boots raising hundreds of dollars apiece and bidding closing on 6 August, bidding is now online for the NRLW Cowboys Indigenous jerseys.
Tei’Ya’Lee Mosby-Loban designed and hand-painted the boots worn by Cowboys outside back Braidon Burns. Photo: Cowboys Community Foundation.
