The 2011 Mackay Cutters season was the fourth in the club's history. Coached by Anthony Seibold and captained by Grant Rovelli, they competed in the QRL's Intrust Super Cup. The club missed the finals in 2011, finishing the season in ninth.
Season summary The Cutters entered the 2011 season with a new head coach after Paul Bramley, who led the club to their first finals series in 2010, left the club to join the Burleigh Bears. He was replaced by former Canberra Raiders and London Broncos prop Anthony Seibold. Seibold was an assistant at the Celtic Crusaders from 2006 to 2009 and head coach of the South Wales Scorpions, helping them gain promotion in 2010. The club's biggest recruit for the season was former New Zealand Warriors and North Queensland Cowboys halfback Grant Rovelli, who was named captain of the side.
The Cutters endured a horror injury run in 2011, having to use 43 different players during the season, and finished ninth on the ladder.Inspiring Rovelli to lead Cutters Lewis Balcomb, a new recruit from Souths Logan, was named the club's Player of the Year, while Rovelli was selected for the Queensland Residents side. The club began playing out of their new home ground, Stadium Mackay, late in the 2011 season.
Squad List 2011 squad
The following players contracted to the North Queensland Cowboys played for the Cutters in 2011: Isaak Ah Mau, Leeson Ah Mau, Clint Amos, Sam Foster, Shannon Gallant, Dane Hogan, Ben Jones, Tyson Martin, Dylan Smith and Will Tupou.
Squad movement Gains Player Signed from Until end of Notes Lewis Balcomb Souths Logan Magpies Bureta Faraimo Wainuiomata Lions Peter Gallen Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Chad Grintell Burleigh Bears Peter Hassall Year off Brandon Nixon Warriors Liam Roach South Wales Scorpions Grant Rovelli North Queensland Cowboys Liam Taylor West Belconnen Warriors
Losses Player Signed To Until end of Notes Khan Ahwang Ipswich Jets Craig Chapman Released Matt Griffin Released Josh Hannay Moranbah Miners Justin Hunt Redcliffe Dolphins Regan Hyde Retired Tyson Martin North Queensland Cowboys Liam McDonald Burleigh Bears Shane Muspratt Retired Josh Rovelli Released Todd Titmus Released
Fixtures Regular season
Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries GoalsSaturday, 19 MarchRound 1 Norths DevilsBishop Park 16 – 6 Bobongie, Comerford Taylor (4)Sunday, 27 MarchRound 2 Sunshine Coast Sea EaglesShark Park 36 – 12 Seymour (2), I. Ah Mau, Balcomb, Giumelli, Jones Taylor (6) Sunday, 3 AprilRound 3 Tweed Heads SeagullsPiggabeen Sports Complex 20 – 46 Hassall (2), Bobongie, Jones Taylor (2) Sunday, 10 AprilRound 4 Ipswich JetsNorth Ipswich Reserve 12 – 32 Balcomb, Giumelli Taylor (2) Sunday, 16 AprilRound 5 Central CometsBrowne Park 32 – 24 Billings, Budworth, Dalton, Jones, Taylor Taylor (6)Sunday, 1 MayRound 6 Redcliffe DolphinsDolphin Oval 10 – 16 Comerford, MartinTaylor (1) Sunday, 8 MayRound 7 Wynnum Manly SeagullsShark Pack 12 – 14Dalton, Gallant Taylor (2) Sunday, 15 MayRound 8 Northern PrideShark Park 22 – 18 Amos (2), Comerford, Dalton Taylor (3)Saturday, 21 MayRound 9 Easts TigersLanglands Park 6 – 18Bobongie Taylor (1)Sunday, 29 MayRound 10 Souths Logan MagpiesDavies Park 10 – 26 Griffiths, Tupou Jones (1)Sunday, 5 JuneRound 11 Burleigh BearsShark Park 6 – 7Bobongie Taylor (1)Sunday, 12 JuneRound 12 Norths DevilsShark Park 26 – 6Bobongie, Comerford, Giumelli, Griffiths, Young Taylor (3)Saturday, 18 JuneRound 13 Sunshine Coast Sea EaglesSunshine Coast Stadium 24 – 22Comerford (2), Balcomb, Taylor, Young Taylor (2) Sunday, 26 JuneRound 14 Tweed Heads SeagullsShark Park 10 – 10Amos, Comerford Taylor (1) Sunday, 10 JulyRound 15 Ipswich JetsShark Park 10 – 56 Grintell, YoungTaylor (1) Sunday, 17 JulyRound 16 Central CometsShark Park 24 – 12 Faraimo (2), Giumelli, RovelliTaylor (4) Sunday, 24 JulyRound 17 Redcliffe DolphinsShark Park17 – 16 Amos, Giumelli, Faraimo Taylor (2), Rovelli (1 FG) Saturday, 6 AugustRound 18 Wynnum Manly SeagullsBMD Kougari Oval 12 – 22Faraimo, Smith Comerford (2) Saturday, 13 AugustRound 19 Northern PrideBarlow Park 10 – 30 Comerford, Jones Grintell (1)Saturday, 20 AugustRound 20 Easts TigersVirgin Australia Stadium 14 – 16 Comerford, Faraimo, Grintell Taylor (1) Saturday, 27 AugustRound 21 Souths Logan MagpiesVirgin Australia Stadium20 – 34 L. Ah Mau, Amos, Faraimo, YoungTaylor (2) Saturday, 3 SeptemberRound 22 Burleigh BearsPizzey Park 20 – 30Amos, Griffiths, Foster Taylor (4) Legend:
Statistics *Denotes player contracted to the North Queensland Cowboys for the 2011 season
NameTGFGPts1--41--46--24Lewis Balcomb3--12Janan Billings1--4Jardine Bobongie5--201--4Michael Comerford92-40Zac Dalton3--126--24Sam Foster1--41--4Chris Giumelli5--20Darren Griffiths3--12Chad Grintell21-10Peter Hassall2--841-181--41-15Todd Seymour2--8Dylan Smith1--4Liam Taylor248-1041--44--16 Totals 66 52 1 369
Honours Club Player of the Year: Lewis Balcomb Sponsor's Player of the Year: Jardine Bobongie Rookie of the Year: Bureta Faraimo Club Person of the Year: Tony Gambie
References