Coached by Neill Henry and captained by Johnathan Thurston, they competed in the National Rugby League's 2009 Telstra Premiership and finished the regular season 12th place, failing to reach the finals for the second consecutive year.
Renowned strength and conditioning coach Billy Johnstone also returned to the club after a stint at the Gold Coast Titans.
The club's key off-season recruits included Australian and Queensland representatives Willie Tonga, Antonio Kaufusi and Shannon Hegarty.
After a slow start to the season, the Cowboys enjoyed a strong run of form that included a four-game winning streak.
Tamou would become an Australian and New South Wales representative at the Cowboys and play integral role in the club's maiden premiership victory in 2015.