When Scott Drinkwater laced up his custom-designed boots for the North Queensland Toyota Cowboys’ Round 24 NRL Indigenous Round clash against the Knights, he wasn’t just representing his team and region – he was carrying a story of culture, connection and creativity.
The one-of-a-kind boots, among other unique pieces of Cowboys memorabilia up for grabs in the 2026 Cowboys Christmas Auction, were designed and hand-painted by Zazward (Zazi) Banu, a Year 7 NRL Cowboys House boarder from Badu Island in the Torres Strait.
“For my design, I wanted to honour both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, so I designed each boot individually,” Zazi said.
“The Torres Strait Islander boot represents my connection to the Argan warriors of Badu Island. The wave patterns symbolise freedom and the open sea, and the hammerhead shark is my totem – a symbol of strength and protection.
“The other boot features the colours of the Aboriginal flag, with footsteps showing people journeying toward a central meeting place, symbolising community and connection.”
Drinkwater wore the boots in one of his standout performances of the season, scoring two tries and kicking six conversions in the Cowboys’ 38–4 win over Newcastle. He also added a penalty goal and played a part in setting up his teammates’ tries, finishing with 18 points for the match – a personal haul that helped seal the team’s dominant victory.
“It was special to run out in boots that tell such a powerful story,” the 28-year-old fullback said.
“Zazi put so much thought into the design, and it was a privilege to showcase his culture and message of unity.
“Everyone wearing their boots had a pretty good night on the paddock, so I think they definitely helped us rise to the occasion.”
All three Cowboys’ first half try-scorers were wearing their custom Indigenous Round boots. Drinkwater went over in the third minute, Tom Dearden crossed in the 29th and Braidon Burns went almost the length of the field to score an impressive intercept try late in the half.
NRL Cowboys House General Manager Rochelle Jones said the Boots Project was a highlight for students each season.
“Our young people come from Aboriginal or Torres Strait Island backgrounds and being included in NRL Indigenous Round in such a meaningful way is very special to them,” she said.
“Each student puts a huge amount of thought, effort and love into their designs and spends hours prepping, painting and sealing the boots ready to present to the players. It’s wonderful their art and passion for culture can not only inspire others but help raise funds to support other Cowboys Community Foundation programs making a huge difference in the community.”
The boots feature among a trove of player-signed memorabilia items available in the Cowboys Christmas Auction including player and team-signed Indigenous Round and Northern Lights jerseys.
All proceeds support the Cowboys Community Foundation and its programs like NRL Cowboys House, which provides life-changing education opportunities for young people from remote communities.
The auction is now open and will close 12pm, Thursday 4 December. Bid online here
