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Cowboys rope crowds for Toyota dealers

After taking part in the annual North Queensland Toyota junior league sign-on, Bowen will head to the Gold Coast to play for the Indigenous All Stars on February 4

The Toyota North Queensland Cowboys spread out across NQ last weekend to continue the tradition of celebrating junior rugby league in the annual North Queensland Toyota Dealers' T-shirt handout. League juniors and supporters had the opportunity for to get autographs signed and photographs taken as well as enjoy a sausage sizzle with a Cowboys player at each of the 11 locations.

Cowboys hooker Aaron Payne visited Charters Towers Toyota, signing autographs and posing for photos with fans. Payne said he was happy to hand out hundreds of shirts to young boys and girls who would be enjoying the fun of playing rugby league this season. ``One of the most enjoyable parts of pre-season is getting out and meeting the young kids who are going to play football this year,'' Payne said. ``There's no doubt that it's much better for young boys and girls to be out playing sport instead of just sitting inside and league is a great option for them.''

Charters Towers Toyota dealer principal Mike Carney said the training shirt handover is a significant part of the North Queensland Toyota Dealers' commitment to junior rugby league in North Queensland. ``Hopefully some of those youngsters who sign up to play league this season, and receive one of t-shirts, will be future Cowboys,'' he said.

Cowboys CEO Peter Jourdain said it was important for the club to have the NRL players out in the local community during the busy sign-on season. ``Junior rugby league is the lifeblood of rugby league, both in the North and across Australia,'' he said.

In Innisfail, back-rower Gavin Cooper was at John Cole Toyota to help with handing out North Queensland Toyota Dealer training shirts for youngsters who will be playing junior rugby league, a tradition that the local dealers are proud to continue for the 2012 season. In previous years, Toyota and the local North Queensland Toyota Dealers have donated a Cowboys team shirt to nearly 7000 children playing rugby league in the junior clubs in the north. ``The training shirt handover is a significant part of the North Queensland Toyota Dealers' commitment to junior rugby league in North Queensland,'' John Cole Toyota dealer principal John Cole said.

Cowboys fullback Matt Bowen visited Don West Toyota in Ayr, signing autographs and posing for pictures with his adoring fans, taking some time out of pre-season training ahead of the start of the rugby league season in March. Bowen said a steady flow of people kept him busy throughout the visit and he wished all the players the best of luck during the coming season. Bowen is on his way to the Gold Coast to play for the Indigenous All Stars in the Harvey Norman NRL All Stars game on February 4.

"I'm told it was the biggest turnout at Don West Toyota for a few years, so thanks to everyone from Ayr and Home Hill who came along,'' he said. "It's always great to see all the kids who are young Cowboys fans. ''

Junior Rugby League's Ross George said 68 kids signed-on, with 40 odd new sign-ons, but more would come at training sessions in the coming weeks and all-in-all, it was a successful day. Don West Toyota dealer principal, Darren West joked that Bowen got a bit of arthritis in his hand from signing so many autographs. "There was a very good turnout,'' he said. "There was a lot of people there who weren't a part of junior league also, which was great to see.''