Respected footy expert says North Queensland's NRL women's team should NOT be called the Cowboys because the name is too masculine, leaving fans divided
- Reporter and author Steve Mascord 'struggles' with name
- Has a problem with the team name including 'boys'
- His opinion attracted support and opposition from football fans
Respected rugby league journalist Steve Mascord has divided football fans by revealing he is 'struggling' with North Queensland's NRLW team being called the Cowboys because the word is unmistakably masculine.
The former Sydney Morning Herald football reporter and author of the competition books Touchstones and Two Tribes expressed his views on X on Tuesday when responding to a report that the team has named a new head coach.
“I have a problem with the women's team being called the Cowboys,” Mascord wrote.
“I know they want to use the same brand name, but… if the nickname has 'boys' in it?”
North Queensland's NRLW side are also called the Cowboys, leaving one footy expert scratching his head over the unmistakably masculine nickname (Photo: Shellie Long playing for the club last August)
Footy reporter and author Steve Mascord (pictured) said he struggles with the team's name because it includes the word 'boys'
His take on the team's name drew mixed reactions from football fans, with one replying: “You know the men's players aren't actually cowboys either, right?”
Another wrote: 'Steve, see last year's point… The women spoke and wanted to be the same club as the NRL. They wanted the fans to support them in the same way they supported the NRL side and felt they wouldn't get it under any other name. NRL agreed with them. Sometimes we men think too much about women's sports.'
That comment earned Mascord the following response: “It sounds like a few clubs have asked for different nicknames.”
A third commenter added: 'Don't worry mate..it's just a name. No one died. No virtue signaling points can be collected on this occasion.”
Other fan responses included: 'Should be the Newcastle [Knights] team is called the Ladies?', 'Really not that big of a deal', 'Must be a more appropriate equivalent' and 'Can't agree more. I would also say that the Roosen NRLW team also needs a name change.”
North Queensland fielded a women's side for the first time in 2020, when they were called the Gold Stars – but the name change to 'Cowboys' was made when they joined the NRLW last year (pictured)
One commentator suggested the NRLW side could be called the 'Cow People', 'Cow Persons' or 'Cowpokes', while another wrote: 'Could say the same about the Roosters, Knights and Raiders. The Titans also have a distinctly masculine emblem.”
North Queensland won the right to field an NRLW team in 2022 and the side made its debut in the competition in 2023, finishing in penultimate place with two wins from nine games.
The club's women's team was named the Gold Stars when they first played in the Queensland Rugby League Women's Premiership in 2020, before moving to the NRLW.
The Gold Stars logo did not feature the pair of bull horns found on the men's side emblem, but a large white star in the club's blue and gray colours.
The symbol was accompanied by three smaller yellow stars symbolizing the three feeder clubs – the Northern Pride, Townsville Blackhawks and Mackay Cutters – that supplied the side's players.