The 2013 Mackay Cutters season was the sixth in the club's history. Coached by Kim Williams and captained by Jardine Bobongie and Joel Clinton, they competed in the QRL's Intrust Super Cup. The club enjoyed their most successful season, finishing the regular season in second place and defeating the Easts Tigers 27–20 in the Grand Final to win their first premiership.

Season summary After the departure of head coach Anthony Seibold at the end of 2012, the Cutters hired former Melbourne Storm SG Ball Cup coach Kim Williams as his replacement. The club's biggest off-season recruit was former Australian international and NRL premiership winning-prop Joel Clinton, who was returning to Australia after three seasons with Hull Kingston Rovers. He was named co-captain of the club, alongside veteran Jardine Bobongie.

On 28 April 2013, just hours after a 22–22 draw with the Tweed Heads Seagulls, North Queensland Cowboys contracted hooker Alex Elisala was found unconscious and not breathing after jumping from a hotel balcony. He died in hospital the following day. In honour of Elisala, the Cutters retired his number 14 jersey for the rest of the season. Despite the tragedy, the Cutters pushed forward and finished the season in second on the ladder, their highest ever finish (as of the 2019 season). In Week 1 of the finals, they suffered a 18–31 loss to the Easts Tigers before bouncing back to defeat the Ipswich Jets and Northern Pride to qualify for their first Grand Final and set up a rematch with the Tigers.

On 28 September 2013, the Cutters defeated Easts 27–20 in the Grand Final at North Ipswich Reserve to claim their maiden Queensland Cup premiership. Prop Tyson Andrews was named the club's Player of the Year, while Cowboys contracted players, Sam Hoare and Curtis Rona, were selected for the Queensland Residents side.

Squad List 2013 squad

The following players contracted to the North Queensland Cowboys played for the Cutters in 2013: Alex Elisala, Kalifa Faifai Loa, Clint Greenshields, Chris Grevsmuhl, Sam Hoare, Rory Kostjasyn, Tyson Martin, Anthony Mitchell, Michael Morgan, Curtis Rona, Zac Santo, Tariq Sims and Jason Taumalolo.

Squad movement Gains Player Signed from Until end of Notes Joel Clinton Hull Kingston Rovers Matt Constantinou Melbourne Storm Jake Cooley Nelson Bays RU Karl Davies Melbourne Storm Delane Edwards Fremantle Roosters Michael Koko Melbourne Storm Sam Miles Emerald Tigers Dan Murphy Warwick Cowboys Jason Netherton Hull Kingston Rovers Dave Petersen Hull Kingston Rovers Chris Ulugia Parramatta Eels (mid-season) Pulou Vaituutuu Mounties RLFC

Losses Player Signed To Until end of Notes Rohan Ahern Released Lewis Balcomb Retired Neil Budworth Retired Trevor Exton Released Luke Fatnowna Retired Damon Koolstra Easts Tigers Jason Netherton Hull KR (mid-season) Grant Rovelli Souths Sharks Mackay Michael Thomas Easts Tigers Andrew Ward Released

Fixtures Regular season

Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals Saturday, 16 MarchRound 1 Northern PrideBarlow Park 12 – 44 Bobongie, MilneTaylor (2)Saturday, 23 MarchRound 2 CQ CaprasVirgin Australia Stadium 38 – 12 Greenshields (2), Rona (2), Elisala, Faraimo, MilneFaifai Loa (5) Sunday, 31 MarchRound 3 Wynnum Manly SeagullsBMD Kougari Oval 10 – 36 Faraimo, Taylor Taylor (1) Saturday, 6 AprilRound 4 Easts TigersVirgin Australia Stadium 14 – 6 Morgan (2), Milne Taylor (1)Sunday, 14 AprilRound 5 Redcliffe DolphinsDolphin Oval 34 – 18Comerford, Faifai Loa, Faraimo, Hoare, Rona Taylor (5)Saturday, 20 AprilRound 6 Norths DevilsVirgin Australia Stadium 34 – 16 Faraimo (2), Milne, Rona, WebsterTaylor (5) Saturday, 27 AprilRound 7 Tweed Heads SeagullsVirgin Australia Stadium 22 – 22Andrews, Elisala, Milne, Rona Taylor (3)Round 8ByeSaturday, 11 MayRound 9 Wynnum Manly SeagullsVirgin Australia Stadium 20 – 12 Faifai Loa (2), Andrews, HoareTaylor (2) Sunday, 19 MayRound 10 Souths Logan MagpiesDavies Park 22 – 23Taumalolo (3), Gesch, Rona Taylor (1)Sunday, 26 MayRound 11 Burleigh BearsPizzey Park 42 – 24 Rona (2), Greenshields, Faifai Loa, Faraimo, Martin, Taylor, Webster Taylor (5)Sunday, 1 JuneRound 12 Ipswich JetsVirgin Australia Stadium 16 – 28 Rona (2), Milne Taylor (2)Saturday, 8 JuneRound 13 Redcliffe DolphinsVirgin Australia Stadium 26 – 20 Grevsmuhl, Kostjasyn, Milne, Rona Minto (5)Round 14ByeSaturday, 23 JuneRound 15 Easts TigersLanglands Park 16 – 40 Milne, Rona, Taumalolo Taylor (2)Saturday, 29 JuneRound 16 Ipswich JetsNorth Ipswich Reserve 20 – 18 Faifai Loa, Gesch, Minto, Taylor Taylor (2)Saturday, 6 JulyRound 17 Northern PrideVirgin Australia Stadium 26 – 16 Faraimo, Hoare, Mitchell, Morgan, Taylor Taylor (2), Faifai Loa (1)Saturday, 20 JulyRound 18 Sunshine Coast Sea EaglesMoranbah 38 – 18 Faraimo (2), Minto (2), Bobongie, Milne, Taylor Taylor (5)Saturday, 27 JulyRound 19 Burleigh BearsVirgin Australia Stadium 26 – 26 Bobongie, Milne, Taylor, Taumalolo, Ulugia Taylor (3)Saturday, 3 AugustRound 20 Norths DevilsGreen Energy Sports Park 38 – 24 Milne (3), Faraimo, Martin, Mitchell, Webster Minto (5)Saturday, 10 AugustRound 21 Souths Logan MagpiesVirgin Australia Stadium 12 – 22 Mitchell, Morgan Taylor (2)Saturday, 17 AugustRound 22 CQ CaprasBrowne Park 34 – 28 Faifai Loa, Faraimo, Gesch, Minto, Morgan, Taylor Taylor (5)Sunday, 25 AugustRound 23 Tweed Heads SeagullsPiggabeen Sports Complex 41 – 24 Gesch, Minto, Mitchell, Morgan, Taumalolo, Taylor Taylor (6), Bobongie (1), Minto (1, 1 FG)Saturday, 31 AugustRound 24 Sunshine Coast Sea EaglesVirgin Australia Stadium 36 – 6 Andrews, Faifai Loa, Faraimo, Milne, Morgan, Murphy, Taumalolo Minto (4) Legend:

Finals

Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals Sunday, 8 SeptemberElimination Final Easts TigersVirgin Australia Stadium 18 – 31 Koko (2), Hoare Taylor (3)Saturday, 14 SeptemberSemi Final Ipswich JetsVirgin Australia Stadium 27 – 16 Faraimo (2), Faifai Loa, Taylor Taylor (3), Minto (2, 1 FG)Sunday, 22 SeptemberPreliminary Final Northern PrideLanglands Park 20 – 16 Faifai Loa, Faraimo, Taumalolo, Taylor Taylor (2)Sunday, 29 SeptemberGrand Final Easts TigersNorth Ipswich Reserve 27 – 20 Faraimo (2), Milne, Mitchell, Morgan Milne (1), Minto (1, 1 FG), Taylor (1) Legend:

Mackay Cutters' Grand Final winning side: 1 Liam Taylor, 2 Bureta Faraimo, 15 Michael Morgan, 4 Kalifa Faifai Loa, 5 David Milne, 6 Dan Murphy, 7 Matt Minto, 8 Tyson Andrews, 9 Anthony Mitchell, 10 Sam Hoare, 17 Jason Taumalolo, 12 Chris Gesch, 13 Jardine Bobongie (c). Interchange: 11 Dean Webster, 16 Karl Davies, 18 Kelvin Nielsen, 20 Jason Schirnack. Coach: Kim Williams.

Statistics *Denotes player contracted to the North Queensland Cowboys for the 2013 season

NameTGFGPts3--12Jardine Bobongie31-14Michael Comerford1--42--896-4817--68Chris Gesch4--163--121--44--16Michael Koko2--81--42--8161-665183595--208--32Dan Murphy1--412--488--32Liam Taylor1163-170Chris Ulugia1--4Dean Webster3--12 Totals 122 89 3 669

Honours Club Player of the Year: Tyson Andrews Players' Player: Bureta Faraimo Sponsor's Player of the Year: Jardine Bobongie Rookie of the Year: Karl Davies Club Person of the Year: Chris Fraser

References