JASON Taumalolo’s $800,000 sacrifice is on the verge of being rewarded with North Queensland’s bulldozing back-rower 80 minutes away from realising his premiership dream.

The Dally M lock of the year spurned a massive offer from the NZ Warriors this season that would have made him the NRL’s highest-paid forward, instead committing his future to the Cowboys.

With bottomless talent and one of the most impressive physiques in the game, Taumalolo’s value skyrocketed as he started to reach his potential.

The Cowboys blooded the 112kg beast as a 17-year-old in 2010 but the local junior only became the consistent star they had been hoping for last season.

His lock battle with Broncos veteran Corey Parker, who is 11 years his senior, will be pivotal to deciding Sunday’s grand final but it is one Taumalolo is ready for.

“He’s always had the potential,” Cowboys football manager Peter Parr said.

“He’s been here since he was young and we’ve always thought he had enough ability to play NRL and have an impact.

“He’s doing really well. We still think he’s a work in progress and has some improvement left in him but he’s doing well at the moment.’’

EARLY DAYS: A horse in the dressing room — inside Cowboys’ CRAZY first season

BATTERED BODY: Johnathan Thurston on his ‘toughest season ever’

BRONCOS v COWBOYS: Our ultimate guide to the 2015 NRL grand final

FULL LINE-UPS: Broncos v Cowboys team lists for 2015 NRL grand final

Taumalolo’s development has taken time. He could have been edging towards 125 NRL appearances but the grand final will be his 86th.

The Kiwi Test forward has only missed two games for the Cowboys this year and Parr said there had been high expectations on the 22-year-old after his years of destroying schoolboy oppositions.

“He’s tried to work on the areas the coaching staff thought he should and now he’s getting some consistency about his game,’’ Parr said.

“He’s still only very young. Given what he did at schoolboy level there was a lot of expectation on him and that places a lot of pressure on young people.

“He’s a terrific young fella and going really well. We’re expecting him to improve in the next couple of years.”

Taumalolo’s high-profile agent Chris Orr said the Auckland-born weapon stayed at the Cowboys to chase a premiership.

“The decision to stay was based on loyalty to his teammates and coach who believed in him plus his own belief that this team could win a premiership,” he said.

“His desire to stay at the Cowboys over money has now been justified by making the grand final and his decision to take considerably less money to realise his dream of a premiership ring is only one game away.

“When it came right down to it, Jason felt comfortable with his teammates and his relationship with (coach) Paul Green.

“He knew they were building something special and wanted to be part of it.’’