Zac Laybutt
PNG international rugby league footballer
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | (2002-01-16) 16 January 2002 (age 22) Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 190 cm (6 ft 3 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 94 kg (14 st 11 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Centre | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: [1] As of 7 April 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Zac Laybutt (born 16 January 2002) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a centre for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Background
Laybutt was born in Bundaberg, Queensland, and is of Papua New Guinean and Indigenous descent.[2][3] He attended Bundaberg State High School and played his junior rugby league for the Western Suburbs Panthers before being signed by the Melbourne Storm.[4][5]
Laybutt's older brother Kyle played two NRL games for the North Queensland Cowboys.[6]
Playing career
In 2018, Laybutt represented the Queensland Murri under-16 team in their 36–26 win over New South Wales Koori.[7][8] In 2019, he joined the Sunshine Coast Falcons, playing for their Mal Meninga Cup team.[9]
In 2021, Laybutt signed for the North Queensland Cowboys, joining their Young Guns squad.[10] That season he played for the Townsville Blackhawks in the Hastings Deering Colts competition, starting at centre in their Grand Final loss to the Wynnum Manly Seagulls.[11]
In 2021, he returned to Cairns, joining the Northern Pride's under-21 side and the North Queensland Cowboys Young Guns squad.[12] In 2022, he played for Townsville in the Colts and Queensland Cup.[13] On 24 September 2022, he captained the Blackhawks in the Colts' Grand Final win over the Redcliffe Dolphins.[14]
2023
Laybutt spent the pre-season training with the Cowboys' NRL squad, coming off the interchange in their pre-season draw with the Dolphins.[15][16] In round 13 of the 2023 NRL season, Laybutt made his first grade debut against the Parramatta Eels.[17][18] In round 26, Laybutt scored two tries for North Queensland in their 34-10 victory over the Dolphins.[19] He was selected to play for the PNG Kumuls alongside his older brother Kyle Laybutt (captain) and won the Pacific (Bowl) championship in PNG against the Fiji Batis 32-12.
2024
In round 1 of the 2024 NRL season, Laybutt scored two tries for North Queensland in their 43-18 victory over the Dolphins.[20] On 9 April, it was announced that Laybutt would miss the rest of the 2024 NRL season after suffering an ACL injury.[21]
References
- ^ Rugby League Project
- ^ "Laybutt aims to emulate Kumuls brother". The National. 17 February 2022.
- ^ "Zac steps out of his brother's shadow". The Courier Mail. 29 November 2017.
- ^ "Brothers Kyle and Zac Laybutt in Cowboys trial match". Bundaberg Now. 27 February 2022.
- ^ "Laybutt heading into a Storm". NewsMail. 30 June 2018.
- ^ "Laybutt to debut for Cowboys". The Courier Mail. 24 May 2023.
- ^ "Opportunity knocks for Murri Under 16 players". QRL. 23 February 2018.
- ^ "MURRI GREAT START FOR ZAC: Laybutt stars". NewsMail. 8 March 2018.
- ^ "2019 Mal Meninga Cup results – Round 6". 18th Man. 14 April 2019.
- ^ "Zac Laybutt to play for Cowboys in 2022". The Courier Mail. 24 November 2021.
- ^ "U21s Grand Final team list". Townsville Blackhawks. 6 October 2021.
- ^ "Hastings Deering Colts TEAMS - 2021 Round 5". League Unlimited. 11 May 2021.
- ^ "Cowboys combine for six tries in the Hostplus Cup". NQ Cowboys. 16 August 2022.
- ^ "Eleven Cowboys contracted players named for U21s Grand Final". NQ Cowboys. 22 September 2022.
- ^ "Get to know our young players ahead of Sunday's trial". NQ Cowboys. 10 February 2023.
- ^ "Cowboys final team list: Trial v Dolphins". NQ Cowboys. 12 February 2023.
- ^ "Cowboys team list: Round 13 v Eels". NQ Cowboys. 23 May 2023.
- ^ "Brown's stunner as Eels unearth hidden gem; star leads Cowboys transformation: Big hits". www.foxsports.com.au. 26 May 2023.
- ^ "Cowboys stun Dolphins in must-win game to keep finals hopes alive". www.foxsports.com.au. 25 August 2023.
- ^ "Laybutt stars in Cowboys rout to go top of table; Dolphins implode despite recruits: What we learned". www.foxsports.com.au.
- ^ "NRL Team Lists: Round 6". www.nrl.com.
External links
- North Queensland Cowboys profile
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North Queensland Cowboys – 2024 current squad
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