The 2017 Mackay Cutters season was the tenth in the club's history. Coached by Steve Sheppard and captained by Andrew Davey and Setaimata Sa, they competed in the QRL's Intrust Super Cup. The club missed the finals for the fourth consecutive season, finishing eighth.
Season summary Following an unsuccessful season in 2016, the Cutters underwent a major roster overhaul, led by new head coach Steve Sheppard. The club's key signings included former Samoa and New Zealand international Setaimata Sa and former NRL player Jayden Hodges. Sa was awarded the co-captaincy of the team, alongside er Andrew Davey. Hodges' first season with Mackay was short lived after he tore his ACL in the team's first trial in February, ruling him out for the season.
The Cutters did not find much success in the first half of the season, winning just four of their first 12 games. Six wins and two draws from their final 11 games saw them fight for a spot in finals, but they finished short - just four points outside of the Top 6, in eighth spot. Co-captain Andrew Davey was named the club's Player of the Year at the end of the season. In 2017, the Cutters used just two North Queensland Cowboys-contracted players, the least in club history.
Squad List 2017 squad
Squad movement Gains Player Signed From Until End of Notes Cooper Bambling North Queensland Cowboys Yamba Bowie Cairns Brothers Nick Brown North Queensland Cowboys Jake Eden Souths Logan Magpies Jayden Hodges Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Nicho Hynes Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Jack Joass Souths Logan Magpies Lona Kaifoto Townsville Blackhawks Tom Murphy Sunshine Coast Falcons Setaimata Sa Widnes Vikings Kouma Samson Glenora Bears Nathan Saumalu Canterbury Bulls Semisi Tyrell Warriors
Losses Player Signed From Until End of Notes Delayne Ashby Illawarra Cutters Joss Boyton Released Jack Creith Easts Tigers Andrew Gay West Wales Raiders Ryan Kinlyside Released Nicholas Mataia Released Kelvin Nielsen Released John Papalii Released Michael Pearsall Norths Devils Jordan Pereira St George Illawarra (mid-season) Steve Rapira Released Tone Susuga Released Liam Taylor Released Regan Verney Ivanhoes Knights
Fixtures Regular season
Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals Saturday, 4 MarchRound 1 Northern PrideBB Print Stadium4 – 24 Saumaulu Saturday, 11 MarchRound 2 Tweed Heads SeagullsBB Print Stadium38 – 6 Bowie (2), Bambling, Booth, Pereira, Saumalu, Uele Hynes (5)Saturday, 18 MarchRound 3 Townsville BlackhawksJack Manski Oval12 – 60 Pereira, Uele Hynes (2)Saturday, 25 MarchRound 4 Wynnum Manly SeagullsBMD Kougari Oval22 – 18 Uele (2), Bowie, Pereira Hynes (3)Saturday, 1 AprilRound 5 PNG HuntersBB Print Stadium16 – 36 Faletagoa'i, Hynes, Pereira Hynes (2)Saturday, 8 AprilRound 6 Central Queensland CaprasBrowne Park38 – 22 Saumalu (3), Davey (2), Faletagoa'i, Sa, Uele Hynes (3)Sunday, 16 AprilRound 7 Souths Logan MagpiesDavies Park24 – 42 Joass (2), Bambling, Saumalu, Uele Hynes (2)Saturday, 22 AprilRound 8 Easts TigersBB Print Stadium33 – 10 Bambling, Bowie, Davey, Sa, Saumalu, Uele Bambling (4, 1 FG)Sunday, 30 AprilRound 9 Norths DevilsBB Print Stadium10 – 34 Bambling, Saumalu Bambling (1)Saturday, 13 MayRound 10 Redcliffe DolphinsDolphin Oval6 – 14 Pereira Bambling (1)Saturday, 20 MayRound 11 Sunshine Coast FalconsSunshine Coast Stadium18 – 28 Bowie, Hynes, Tyrell Hynes (3)Saturday, 27 MayRound 12 Burleigh BearsBB Print Stadium28 – 34 Saumalu (2), Booth, Davey, Hynes Booth (4)Saturday, 3 JuneRound 13 Wynnum Manly SeagullsBB Print Stadium20 – 14 Bowie (2), Hynes, Uele Hynes (2)Saturday, 10 JuneRound 14 Townsville BlackhawksBB Print Stadium20 – 20 Bambling, Bowie, Faletagoa'i, Pereira Hynes (2)Round 15ByeSunday, 25 JuneRound 16 Norths DevilsBishop Park52 – 4 Bambling (2), Faletagoa'i (2), Hynes (2), Pereira (2), Joass, Uele Joass (4), Bambling (1), Hynes (1)Sunday, 2 JulyRound 17 Northern PrideBarlow Park26 – 18 Bowie (2), Bambling, Booth Joass (5)Saturday, 8 JulyRound 18 Easts TigersSuzuki Stadium10 – 34 Hynes, Kaifoto Joass (1)Saturday, 15 JulyRound 19 Central Queensland CaprasBB Print Stadium38 – 20 Joass (2), Booth, Davey, Faletagoa'i, Saumalu, Uele Joass (5)Saturday, 22 JulyRound 20 PNG HuntersNational Football Stadium22 – 22 Bowie (2), Faletagoa'i, Wright Joass (3)Round 21ByeSaturday, 5 AugustRound 22 Sunshine Coast FalconsBB Print Stadium30 – 26 Bambling, Bowie, Brown, Davey, Saumalu Joass (5)Saturday, 12 AugustRound 23 Burleigh BearsPizzey Park16 – 28 Uele, Leslie Joass (2)Saturday, 19 AugustRound 24 Ipswich JetsNorth Ipswich Reserve30 – 20 Bowie, Davey, Hynes, Leslie, Samson Joass (5)Saturday, 26 AugustRound 25 Souths Logan MagpiesBB Print Stadium18 – 32 Boyd, Hynes, Saumalu Joass (3) Legend:
Statistics Denotes player contracted to the North Queensland Cowboys for the 2017 season
NameAppTGFGPtsBlake Atherton3----Cooper Bambling2397151Jayden Batchelor1----Jack Blagbrough12----Aaron Booth2244-24Yamba Bowie2314--56Daniel Boyd11--4Nick Brown231--4Andrew Davey217--28Jake Eden9----Johnny Faletagoa'i187--28Alex Farrell2----Leonati Feiloakitau7----Tyler Gardiner1----21925-86Kellen Jenner5----Jack Joass22533-86Lona Kaifoto181--4Yosepha Kepa1----Bennett Leslie102--8Gareth Moore9----Tom Murphy11----158--32Jacob Pottinger10----Isaac Richardson9----202--8Kouma Samson171--4Nathan Saumalu1713--52Eliki Taufahema1----Semisi Tyrell61--42112--48121--4 Totals 98 69 1 531
Honours Club Player of the Year: Andrew Davey Players' Player: Nick Brown Rookie of the Year: Cooper Bambling Club Person of the Year: Jodie Grosskreutz
References