ɪn tˈuː θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪt lˈɪlɪmən wʌz fˈoːɹst tə lˈiːv ðə nˈɔːɹθ kwˈiːnslənd kˈaʊbɔɪz dˈuː tə sˈælɚɹikˈæp pɹˈɛʃɚz, ænd ðæt jˈɪɹ ðɛɹ ˈɛndᵻd ɐbɹˈʌptli fɔːɹ hˌɪm wɛn hiː sˈʌfɚd ɐ sˈiːzənˈɛndɪŋ ˈɪndʒɚɹi ɪn ɹˈaʊnd fˈɪftiːn, plˈeɪɪŋ ɐɡˈɛnst ðə mˈɛlbɚn stˈoːɹm.
In 2008 Lillyman was forced to leave the North Queensland Cowboys due to salary-cap pressures, and that year there ended abruptly for him when he suffered a season-ending injury in Round 15, playing against the Melbourne Storm.