| Zac Laybutt | |
| Birth Date: | 2002 1, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia |
| Height: | 1900NaN0 |
| Weight: | 94kg (207lb) |
| Year1start: | 2023 |
| Year1end: | present |
| Appearances1: | 8 |
| Tries1: | 6 |
| Goals1: | 0 |
| Fieldgoals1: | 0 |
| Points1: | 24 |
| Yearastart: | 2023 |
| Appearancesa: | 3 |
| Triesa: | 2 |
| Goalsa: | 5 |
| Fieldgoalsa: | 0 |
| Pointsa: | 18 |
| New: | yes |
| Source: | [1] |
| Updated: | 7 April 2024 |
Zac Laybutt (born 16 January 2002) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Laybutt was born in Bundaberg, Queensland, and is of Papua New Guinean and Indigenous descent.[2] [3] He attended Bundaberg State High School and played his junior rugby league for the Western Suburbs Panthers before being signed by the Melbourne Storm.[4] [5]
Laybutt's older brother Kyle played two NRL games for the North Queensland Cowboys.[6]
In 2018, Laybutt represented the Queensland Murri under-16 team in their 36–26 win over New South Wales Koori.[7] [8] In 2019, he joined the Sunshine Coast Falcons, playing for their Mal Meninga Cup team.[9]
In 2021, Laybutt signed for the North Queensland Cowboys, joining their Young Guns squad.[10] That season he played for the Townsville Blackhawks in the Hastings Deering Colts competition, starting at in their Grand Final loss to the Wynnum Manly Seagulls.[11]
In 2021, he returned to Cairns, joining the Northern Pride's under-21 side and the North Queensland Cowboys Young Guns squad.[12] In 2022, he played for Townsville in the Colts and Queensland Cup.[13] On 24 September 2022, he captained the Blackhawks in the Colts' Grand Final win over the Redcliffe Dolphins.[14]
Laybutt spent the pre-season training with the Cowboys' NRL squad, coming off the interchange in their pre-season draw with the Dolphins.[15] [16] In round 13 of the 2023 NRL season, Laybutt made his first grade debut against the Parramatta Eels.[17] [18] In round 26, Laybutt scored two tries for North Queensland in their 34-10 victory over the Dolphins.[19] He was selected to play for the PNG Kumuls alongside his older brother Kyle Laybutt (captain) and won the Pacific (Bowl) championship in PNG against the Fiji Batis 32-12.
In round 1 of the 2024 NRL season, Laybutt scored two tries for North Queensland in their 43-18 victory over the Dolphins.[20] On 9 April, it was announced that Laybutt would miss the rest of the 2024 NRL season after suffering an ACL injury.[21]