Aaron Ketchell facts for kids

Aaron Ketchell (born on March 18, 1977) is a former professional rugby league player from Australia. He played in the 1990s, mostly as a second-row forward. He was one of the very first players for the North Queensland Cowboys team when they started.

Aaron Ketchell's Early Life and School Rugby

Aaron grew up in Tully, Queensland. He played junior rugby league for the Tully Tigers. While attending Tully State High School, he was chosen to play for the Australian Schoolboys team in 1994. This is a special team made up of the best school-aged players in Australia.

Starting His Professional Career

In 1994, Aaron played for the Queensland under-17 team. He started as a second-row forward in a game against New South Wales, which Queensland lost.

Playing for the Cowboys

In 1995, Aaron Ketchell signed with the brand new North Queensland Cowboys team. He was the youngest player in their very first top-level squad. The Cowboys' coach at the time, Grant Bell, said that Aaron "was regarded as the next big thing," meaning he was expected to be a huge star.

In Round 20 of the 1995 ARL season, Aaron made his first-grade debut for the North Queensland Cowboys. He was only 18 years old. His first game was a close 10–12 loss to the Western Reds. In his first year, he played three games for the team. Over the next two seasons, Aaron played nine more games for the Cowboys. He left the club at the end of the 1997 season, having played a total of 12 games for them.