2013 Mackay Cutters season
- Jardine Bobongie
Joel Clinton
← 2012 | 2014 → |
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.[1] 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.[2]
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.[3] 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.[4] 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.[5] In honour of Elisala, the Cutters retired his number 14 jersey for the rest of the season.[6] 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).[7] 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.[8]
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.[2] 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.[9]
Squad List
2013 squad
First team squad | Coaching staff | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Head coach
|
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 | ![]() | 2013 | [10] |
Matt Constantinou | ![]() | 2013 | [11] |
Jake Cooley | ![]() | 2013 | [10] |
Karl Davies | ![]() | 2013 | [10] |
Delane Edwards | ![]() | 2013 | [12] |
Michael Koko | ![]() | 2013 | [13] |
Sam Miles | ![]() | 2013 | [10] |
Dan Murphy | ![]() | 2013 | [14] |
Jason Netherton | ![]() | 2013 | [15] |
Dave Petersen | ![]() | 2013 | [14] |
Chris Ulugia | ![]() | 2013 | [16] |
Pulou Vaituutuu | ![]() | 2013 | [14] |
Losses
Player | Signed To | Until End of | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Rohan Ahern | Released | – | |
Lewis Balcomb | Retired | – | [17] |
Neil Budworth | Retired | – | [18] |
Trevor Exton | Released | – | |
Luke Fatnowna | Retired | – | |
Damon Koolstra | ![]() | 2013 | |
Jason Netherton | ![]() | 2013 | |
Grant Rovelli | ![]() | 2013 | [19] |
Michael Thomas | ![]() | 2013 | |
Andrew Ward | Released | – |
Fixtures
Regular season
Date | Round | Opponent | Venue | Score | Tries | Goals | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 16 March | Round 1 | ![]() | Barlow Park | 12 – 44 | Bobongie, Milne | Taylor (2) | ||||
Saturday, 23 March | Round 2 | ![]() | Virgin Australia Stadium | 38 – 12 | Greenshields (2), Rona (2), Elisala, Faraimo, Milne | Faifai Loa (5) | ||||
Sunday, 31 March | Round 3 | ![]() | BMD Kougari Oval | 10 – 36 | Faraimo, Taylor | Taylor (1) | ||||
Saturday, 6 April | Round 4 | ![]() | Virgin Australia Stadium | 14 – 6 | Morgan (2), Milne | Taylor (1) | ||||
Sunday, 14 April | Round 5 | ![]() | Dolphin Oval | 34 – 18 | Comerford, Faifai Loa, Faraimo, Hoare, Rona | Taylor (5) | ||||
Saturday, 20 April | Round 6 | ![]() | Virgin Australia Stadium | 34 – 16 | Faraimo (2), Milne, Rona, Webster | Taylor (5) | ||||
Saturday, 27 April | Round 7 | ![]() | Virgin Australia Stadium | 22 – 22 | Andrews, Elisala, Milne, Rona | Taylor (3) | ||||
Round 8 | Bye | |||||||||
Saturday, 11 May | Round 9 | ![]() | Virgin Australia Stadium | 20 – 12 | Faifai Loa (2), Andrews, Hoare | Taylor (2) | ||||
Sunday, 19 May | Round 10 | ![]() | Davies Park | 22 – 23 | Taumalolo (3), Gesch, Rona | Taylor (1) | ||||
Sunday, 26 May | Round 11 | ![]() | Pizzey Park | 42 – 24 | Rona (2), Greenshields, Faifai Loa, Faraimo, Martin, Taylor, Webster | Taylor (5) | ||||
Sunday, 1 June | Round 12 | ![]() | Virgin Australia Stadium | 16 – 28 | Rona (2), Milne | Taylor (2) | ||||
Saturday, 8 June | Round 13 | ![]() | Virgin Australia Stadium | 26 – 20 | Grevsmuhl, Kostjasyn, Milne, Rona | Minto (5) | ||||
Round 14 | Bye | |||||||||
Saturday, 23 June | Round 15 | ![]() | Langlands Park | 16 – 40 | Milne, Rona, Taumalolo | Taylor (2) | ||||
Saturday, 29 June | Round 16 | ![]() | North Ipswich Reserve | 20 – 18 | Faifai Loa, Gesch, Minto, Taylor | Taylor (2) | ||||
Saturday, 6 July | Round 17 | ![]() | Virgin Australia Stadium | 26 – 16 | Faraimo, Hoare, Mitchell, Morgan, Taylor | Taylor (2), Faifai Loa (1) | ||||
Saturday, 20 July | Round 18 | ![]() | Moranbah | 38 – 18 | Faraimo (2), Minto (2), Bobongie, Milne, Taylor | Taylor (5) | ||||
Saturday, 27 July | Round 19 | ![]() | Virgin Australia Stadium | 26 – 26 | Bobongie, Milne, Taylor, Taumalolo, Ulugia | Taylor (3) | ||||
Saturday, 3 August | Round 20 | ![]() | Green Energy Sports Park | 38 – 24 | Milne (3), Faraimo, Martin, Mitchell, Webster | Minto (5) | ||||
Saturday, 10 August | Round 21 | ![]() | Virgin Australia Stadium | 12 – 22 | Mitchell, Morgan | Taylor (2) | ||||
Saturday, 17 August | Round 22 | ![]() | Browne Park | 34 – 28 | Faifai Loa, Faraimo, Gesch, Minto, Morgan, Taylor | Taylor (5) | ||||
Sunday, 25 August | Round 23 | ![]() | Piggabeen Sports Complex | 41 – 24 | Gesch, Minto, Mitchell, Morgan, Taumalolo, Taylor | Taylor (6), Bobongie (1), Minto (1, 1 FG) | ||||
Saturday, 31 August | Round 24 | ![]() | Virgin Australia Stadium | 36 – 6 | Andrews, Faifai Loa, Faraimo, Milne, Morgan, Murphy, Taumalolo | Minto (4) | ||||
Legend: Win Loss Draw Bye |
Finals
Date | Round | Opponent | Venue | Score | Tries | Goals | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sunday, 8 September | Elimination Final | ![]() | Virgin Australia Stadium | 18 – 31 | Koko (2), Hoare | Taylor (3) | ||||
Saturday, 14 September | Semi Final | ![]() | Virgin Australia Stadium | 27 – 16 | Faraimo (2), Faifai Loa, Taylor | Taylor (3), Minto (2, 1 FG) | ||||
Sunday, 22 September | Preliminary Final | ![]() | Langlands Park | 20 – 16 | Faifai Loa, Faraimo, Taumalolo, Taylor | Taylor (2) | ||||
Sunday, 29 September | Grand Final | ![]() | North Ipswich Reserve | 27 – 20 | Faraimo (2), Milne, Mitchell, Morgan | Milne (1), Minto (1, 1 FG), Taylor (1) | ||||
Legend: Win Loss Draw Bye |
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.[20]
Statistics
* | Denotes player contracted to the North Queensland Cowboys for the 2013 season |
Name | T | G | FG | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|
Tyson Andrews | 3 | - | - | 12 |
Jardine Bobongie | 3 | 1 | - | 14 |
Michael Comerford | 1 | - | - | 4 |
Alex Elisala | 2 | - | - | 8 |
Kalifa Faifai Loa | 9 | 6 | - | 48 |
Bureta Faraimo | 17 | - | - | 68 |
Chris Gesch | 4 | - | - | 16 |
Clint Greenshields | 3 | - | - | 12 |
Chris Grevsmuhl | 1 | - | - | 4 |
Sam Hoare | 4 | - | - | 16 |
Michael Koko | 2 | - | - | 8 |
Rory Kostjasyn | 1 | - | - | 4 |
Tyson Martin | 2 | - | - | 8 |
David Milne | 16 | 1 | - | 66 |
Matt Minto | 5 | 18 | 3 | 59 |
Anthony Mitchell | 5 | - | - | 20 |
Michael Morgan | 8 | - | - | 32 |
Dan Murphy | 1 | - | - | 4 |
Curtis Rona | 12 | - | - | 48 |
Jason Taumalolo | 8 | - | - | 32 |
Liam Taylor | 11 | 63 | - | 170 |
Chris Ulugia | 1 | - | - | 4 |
Dean Webster | 3 | - | - | 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
- ^ "Cutters name Bobongie, Clinton co-captains". www.abc.net.au. 29 January 2013.
- ^ a b "Cutters make history with grand final win". Daily Mercury.
- ^ "Praise for signing Kim Williams". Daily Mercury.
- ^ "Cutters shaping roster". Dalby Herald.
- ^ "Young Cowboy dies in hospital". ABC. 29 April 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
- ^ Davy, Andrea. "Friends talk about the loss of good mate, Alex Elisala". Daily Mercury.
- ^ "Cutters secure home semi-final". www.abc.net.au. 26 August 2013.
- ^ Burgin, Robert (23 September 2013). "Cutters to meet Tigers in state final". The North West Star.
- ^ "XXXX Queensland Residents team". Queensland Rugby League. 11 July 2013.
- ^ a b c d "Cutters shaping roster". The Courier Mail. 10 October 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
- ^ "Cutters recruit Matt Constantinou boosts Tigers' ranks". Sunshine Coast Daily.
- ^ "Cyclone, premiership a season to remember". Daily Mercury.
- ^ "Kiwi Koko keen to be a Cutter". Daily Mercury.
- ^ a b c "Cutters begin pre-season training". Queensland Times.
- ^ "Super signing set to play". Daily Mercury.
- ^ "Debutant Ulugia hoping to cement spot with the Cutters". Daily Mercury.
- ^ "English players will build up the Cutters pack". Northern Star.
- ^ "English players will build up the Cutters pack". Morning Bulletin.
- ^ "Rovelli inspires Souths to title". Daily Mercury.
- ^ "Grand Final teams: Intrust Super Cup & FOGS". Queensland Rugby League. 24 September 2013.