Veteran hooker Jake Granville expects to get the first crack in the North Queensland No.9 jersey when the NRL season kicks off in Townsville on March 13.
The Cowboys lured young gun Reece Robson from the Dragons at the end of last season and competition between the duo will be fierce for the key position when the Cowboys host the Broncos at Queensland Country Bank Stadium.
Paul Green could use either player as a bench utility if they miss out on the starting gig but Granville said he wasn't considering any other roles in the lead-up to the season opener.
He added that another young hooker, Reuben Cotter, had also been training well in the dummy-half role during the pre-season.
"That's the position I play and I'll just be looking forward to put my best foot forward," Granville said.
"If I can help in any way with both of the boys' games, I try. In saying that, I can learn from those young fellas as well."
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Granville said he had no plans to leave Townsville, despite being linked with several clubs since the signing of Robson.
"As far as I know I'm staying until the end of next year," he said.
Remarkably resilient in a side that has battled a long injury list in the recent seasons, Granville hasn't missed a game since late in the 2016 season.
However, the 30-year-old recently had to sit out a week of training with a hamstring strain.
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"I feel like I'm travelling pretty good," Granville said after a hot and humid training session on Thursday morning.
"I had a little hiccup with my hammy a couple of weeks ago but I'm back to full training now. It's feeling good. I did the same hammy a couple of years ago in a finals game."
Granville wasn't sure if he would be on a plane to Perth next week for the NRL Nines, but said he'd be keen to pull the boots on after enjoying his time in the Auckland Nines.
"We haven't picked the team yet," he said.
"If I'm picked I'll give it a go. I played over in NZ and it's a pretty cool game to play."
