After missing the finals for the last 3 seasons the Cowboys underwent a major overhaul of personnel for the 2011 season. Club legend Ty Williams retired and they parted ways with club favourites Luke O'Donnell, Carl Webb and Steve Southern. Their biggest signing for the 2011 season was Queensland and Australian representative centre Brent Tate. They also made key recruits in the signings of former Melbourne Storm and Queensland State of Origin representative Dallas Johnson and premiership winner Glenn Hall from the English Super League, re-signing a former Cowboy in Gavin Cooper and picking up younger, experienced first graders such as Antonio Winterstein. Perhaps their most underrated off-season recruit at the time was the 20-year-old, 2010 Toyota Cup player of the year Tariq Sims, from the Brisbane Broncos. Sims, who joined the Cowboys with older brother Ashton, would have a stand out year in 2011. Being earmarked as a future NSW and Australian representative.