Hess was the revelation call-up of the 18-man North Queensland Cowboys squad to defend the NRL Auckland Nines title this weekend.

The hulking, wide-running backrower tips the scales at 110 kilograms – and is on the Maroons’ radar after he was one of the youngest among the 26 future stars brought to Brisbane a fortnight ago for the Emerging Maroons squad camp.

His inclusion takes the North West’s representation at the Nines tournament to three, with Hess joining Gold Coast Titans duo Cloncurry-born Kierran Moseley and Normanton’s Davin Crampton.

Moseley has also been selected to represent the Indigenous All Stars on the Gold Coast on February 13.

Hess is a second-year NYC forward, who has trained with the NRL squad during preseason, impressing coach Paul Green.

“It’s a good reward for a young guy, he has certainly worked hard over the preseason and physically he’s made some really good improvements,” Green said.

“It’s a good way to give him a bit of a taste of NRL without the pressure of playing NRL footy.”

Green said Hess had joined the senior Cowboys group for a number of sessions to familiarise the teenager with the team’s set-up.  

“He’s got size, speed and skill - all attributes you look for in a backrower.”

The Cowboys will leave for New Zealand early this morning and will be part of the festival and fan zone in Aotea Square in downtown Auckland from 10am to 11am on Friday.

The Cowboys’ pool matches will be against Melbourne, South Sydney and Penrith with the top two teams advancing to the quarter-finals.