North Queensland centre winner Jaxon Purdue has made Phil Gould sit up and take notice and with good reason.
The 19-year-old has scored five tries in six NRL games this year, averaged 147m per game and defended well in a position that he had hardly played previously.
He has also proven to a game breaker, most notably in the round six 24-16 win over South Sydney when he turned the match with an explosive turn of speed from close range to score.
Alongside Queensland winger Murray Taulagi, who will mark his 100th NRL game in the home clash with Gold Coast on Saturday, Purdue has forged a dangerous combination that has been pivotal in the side's three consecutive wins.
Gould, on his 'Six Tackles with Gus' podcast, singled Purdue out as a player to watch.
"He's a very talented young man," Gould said.
"Coming through he's always been seen as half/five-eighth/fullback. I think he can play any of those three positions extremely well.
"As most young fellas do, to get there debut sometimes they've got to play out of position and he's played the centre position so well they haven't moved him."
Gould said he'd like to see Purdue in one of the spine positions "sooner rather than later" for his own development.
Purdue, signed until the end of 2026, demanded to be picked based on what he had shown the club on and off the field.
Cowboys general manager of football Micheal Luck explained the good headache coach Todd Payten had.
"He'd always played in the halves as he came through and has got the skill set to probably play fullback in the NRL as well," Luck told AAP.
"For us in the NRL space it was about where you play him. We were well stocked in the halves, particularly last year when he made his debut, and our fullback was going pretty well.
"He had too much skill to leave out so (coach) Toddy put him in the centres and I think he has done a terrific job there. You are now starting to see his ball playing ability and anticipation and his smarts.
"No doubt he has come on quicker than anyone thought and we look forward to seeing how he goes for the rest of the year." Luck said Purdue made "a match saving tackle" against Penrith the week before his Souths stunner in a sign he was more than just an attacking weapon. Purdue said he had learned plenty alongside Taulagi about composure and finding a voice. "One of the best things about Murray is that he does not shut up on the field. That is a good thing to learn," Purdue said.
"I always need to be talking and not be quiet. He always tells me to keep my head up when I do make an error and get onto the next job. What I have learned from him is don't shy away from the game and always be loud.
"He has been a massive help for me and I am very grateful to be playing alongside him. He is one of my role models."
