2021 Mackay Cutters season

2021 Mackay Cutters season
Queensland Cup Rank	12th
Play-off result	Missed finals
2021 record	Wins: 4; draws: 0; losses: 13
Points scored	For: 330; against: 556
Team information
Chairman	Steve Dowden
Coach	Michael Crawley
Captain	Ross Bella
Stadium	BB Print Stadium
Top scorers
Tries	Josh Smith (10)
Goals	Jack Quinn (32)
Points	Jack Quinn (72)
<  2020 2022  >

The 2021 Mackay Cutters season was the 14th in the club's history. Coached by Michael Crawley and captained by Ross Bella, they competed in the Intrust Super Cup.

The 2021 season marked the return of the Cutters after the 2020 season was cancelled after just one round due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Season summary

Milestones

• Round 1: Aidan Beard, Michael Bell, Ben Condon, Brandon Finnegan, Kyle Krisanski-Kennedy, Jaymon Moore, Sean Mullany, Blake Paskins, Jack Quinn, Josh Smith, Matiu Stone-Dunn and Murray Taulagi made their debuts for the club.
• Round 1: Kyle Krisanski-Kennedy, Blake Paskins, Josh Smith and Matiu Stone-Dunn scored their first tries for the club.
• Round 2: Luke Webley made his debut for the club.
• Round 3: Kane Bradley and Morgan McWhirter made their debuts for the club.
• Round 3: Michael Bell and Kane Bradley scored their first tries for the club.
• Round 4: Shaun Edwards made his debut for the club.
• Round 4: Brandon Finnegan and Sean Mullany scored their first tries for the club.
• Round 6: Jake Riley made his debut for the club.
• Round 7: Paul Bryan and Keanu Wainohu-Kemp made their debuts for the club.
• Round 8: Daejarn Asi and Brenton Baira made their debuts for the club.
• Round 8: Brenton Baira and Keanu Wainohu-Kemp scored their first tries for the club.
• Round 9: Jake Riley scored his first try for the club.
• Round 10: Jesse Dee scored his first try for the club.
• Round 11: Jack Quinn scored his first try for the club.
• Round 13: Bayley Gill and Jake Thornton made their debuts for the club.
• Round 13: Kellen Jenner scored his first try for the club.
• Round 12: Adam Cook, Kai O'Donnell and Beaudan Dixon made their debuts for the club.
• Round 12: Bayley Gill scored his first try for the club.
• Round 12: Hayden Brownsey made his debut for the club.
• Round 16: Laitia Moceidreke made his debut for the club.
• Round 16: Laitia Moceidreke scored his first try for the club.

2021 squad

Mackay Cutters 2021 Squad

First team squad								Coaching staff
Blake Atherton – PR Aidan Beard – PR Ross Bella (c) – PR Jack Brock – PR Rayden Burns – FB Paul Byrnes – FB, WG Adam Cook – FB, HB Jesse Dee – PR Beaudan Dixon – FE Shaun Edwards – PR		Brandon Finnegan – HB Bayley Gill – FE, HB Tom Irelandes – FE, CE Kellen Jenner – SR Sam Johnstone – PR Kyle Krisanski-Kennedy – WG Jaymon Moore – PR Sean Mullany – HK Blake Paskins – CE Kai O'Donnell – LK, SR		Jack Quinn – LK Buchanan Rawhiti – CE Jake Riley – WG Garrett Smith – PR Josh Smith – WG Matiu Stone-Dunn – FB Jake Thornton – FB Luke Webley – PR				Head coach Michael Crawley Assistant coaches Brendan Carter (assistant coach) Mick Baker (assistant coach) Tim Rogers (head of performance) Gordon Gu (physiotherapist) Scott Traynor (football manager) Legend: (c) Captain(s) (vc) Vice-captain(s) Updated: 20 July 2021 Source(s): Mackay Cutters

Squad movement

Gains

Player	Signed From	Until End of	Notes
Adam Cook	Canberra Raiders (mid-season)	2021	[1]
Beaudan Dixon	Souths Sharks Mackay	2021	[2]
Shaun Edwards	Mackay Magpies	2021	[3]
Brandon Finnegan	Glebe Dirty Reds	2021
Sean Mullany	New Zealand Warriors	2021	[4]
Kai O'Donnell	Canberra Raiders (mid-season)	2021	[5]
Jack Quinn	South Sydney Rabbitohs	2021	[6]
Jake Riley	Western Lions	2021	[7]
Garrett Smith	Newcastle Knights (mid-season)	2021
Matiu Stone-Dunn	Richmond Rovers	2021	[8]

Losses

Player	Signed To	Until End of	Notes
Elijah Anderson	Canberra Raiders	2021	[9]
Cooper Bambling	Moranbah Miners	2021	[10]
Jayden Batchelor	Mackay Brothers	2021	[11]
Luke Dolbel	Brisbane Tigers	2021	[12]
Mafoa'aeata Hingano	Salford Red Devils (mid-season)	2021	[13]
Jayden Hodges	Northern Pride	2021	[14]
Ash Little	Northern Pride	2021	[15]
Michael Molo	Norths Devils	2021	[16]
John O'Brien	Mackay Brothers	2021	[17]
Kai O'Donnell	Cronulla Sharks (mid-season)	2021
Luke Polselli	Sunshine Coast Falcons	2021	[18]

Fixtures

Pre-season

Date	Round	Opponent	Venue	Score	Tries	Goals
Saturday, 20 February	Trial 1	CQ Capras	BB Print Stadium	44 – 16	Beard, Brownsey, Condon, Dalton, Jenner, Kennedy, Moore, Paskins	Bell (4), Kennedy (2)
Saturday, 6 March	Trial 2	Townsville Blackhawks	BB Print Stadium	18 – 24	Bell, Condon, Mullany	Quinn (3)
Legend:   Win  Loss  Draw  Bye

Regular season

Due COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions in Queensland throughout the season, Round 12 was postponed and played after Rounds 13 and 14. Rounds 15 and 18 were cancelled and Rounds 16 and 17 were postponed and played after Round 19. ^[19]

Date	Round	Opponent	Venue	Score	Tries	Goals
Saturday, 20 March	Round 1	Redcliffe Dolphins	BB Print Stadium	28 – 30	Krisanski-Kennedy, Paskins, Pere, Smith, Stone-Dunn	Krisanski-Kennedy (2), Quinn (2)
Saturday, 27 March	Round 2	Burleigh Bears	Pizzey Park	14 – 28	Smith (2), Wright	Krisanski-Kennedy (2)
Saturday, 10 April	Round 3	PNG Hunters	BB Print Stadium	14 – 26	Bell, Bradley, Krisanski-Kennedy	Hingano (1)
Saturday, 17 April	Round 4	CQ Capras	Browne Park	28 – 20	Mullany (2), Bella, Finnegan, Smith	Quinn (3), Krisanski-Kennedy (1)
Saturday, 24 April	Round 5	Souths Logan Magpies	BB Print Stadium	10 – 60	Paskins, Stone-Dunn	Quinn (1)
Sunday, 9 May	Round 6	Sunshine Coast Falcons	Sunshine Coast Stadium	10 – 58	Stone-Dunn, Smith	Quinn (2)
Sunday, 16 May	Round 7	Townsville Blackhawks	Jack Manski Oval	18 – 24	Bell, Pere, Smith	Quinn (3)
Saturday, 22 May	Round 8	Northern Pride	BB Print Stadium	20 – 22	Baira, Bell, Smith, Wainohu-Kemp	Quinn (2)
Saturday, 5 June	Round 9	Wynnum Manly Seagulls	BMD Kougari Oval	16 – 40	Bella, Mullany, Riley	Hingano (1), Quinn (1)
Saturday, 12 June	Round 10	Tweed Heads Seagulls	BB Print Stadium	16 – 24	Bella, Dee, Stone-Dunn	Hingano (1), Quinn (1)
Sunday, 20 June	Round 11	Souths Logan Magpies	Davies Park	20 – 38	Finnegan, Quinn, Riley, Stone-Dunn	Asi (1), Quinn (1)
Saturday, 10 July	Round 13	CQ Capras	BB Print Stadium	20 – 18	Dee, Jenner, Smith	Quinn (3), Finnegan (1)
Saturday, 17 July	Round 14	Norths Devils	Hickey Oval	16 – 40	Atherton, Bella, Smith	Quinn (2)
Saturday, 24 July	Round 12	PNG Hunters	Bycroft Oval	40 – 30	Bella (2), Rawhiti (2), Stone-Dunn (2), Gill	Quinn (6)
Saturday, 31 July	Round 15	Redcliffe Dolphins	Moreton Daily Stadium		Cancelled
Saturday, 21 August	Round 18	Sunshine Coast Falcons	BB Print Stadium		Cancelled
Saturday, 28 August	Round 19	Townsville Blackhawks	BB Print Stadium	10 – 28	Riley, Smith	Quinn (1)
Saturday, 7 August	Round 16	Ipswich Jets	BB Print Stadium	36 – 26	Moceidreke (2), Atherton, Cook, Dee, Finnegan, Quinn	Quinn (4)
Saturday, 14 August	Round 17	Brisbane Tigers	Totally Workwear Stadium	14 – 44	Finnegan, Krisanski-Kennedy, Riley	Quinn (1)
Legend:   Win  Loss  Draw  Bye

Statistics

*	Denotes player contracted to the North Queensland Cowboys for the 2021 season

Name	App	T	G	FG	Pts
Daejarn Asi *	4	-	1	-	2
Blake Atherton	8	2	-	-	8
Brenton Baira*	1	1	-	-	4
Aidan Beard	10	-	-	-	-
Michael Bell *	11	3	-	-	12
Ross Bella	17	6	-	-	24
Kane Bradley *	6	1	-	-	4
Jack Brock	13	-	-	-	-
Hayden Brownsey	1	-	-	-	-
Paul Bryan*	1	-	-	-	-
Rayden Burns*	4	-	-	-	-
Ben Condon *	5	-	-	-	-
Adam Cook	4	1	-	-	4
Jesse Dee	17	3	-	-	12
Beaudan Dixon	2	-	-	-	-
Shaun Edwards	4	-	-	-	-
Brandon Finnegan	16	4	1	-	18
Bayley Gill	6	1	–	-	4
Mafoa'aeata Hingano	10	-	3	-	6
Kellen Jenner	9	1	-	-	4
Kyle Krisanski-Kennedy	7	3	4	-	20
Morgan McWhirter*	11	-	-	-	-
Laitia Moceidreke *	1	2	-	-	8
Jaymon Moore	9	-	-	-	-
Sean Mullany	16	3	-	-	12
Kai O'Donnell	1	-	-	-	-
Blake Paskins	6	2	-	-	8
Emry Pere *	7	2	-	-	8
Jack Quinn	16	2	32	-	72
Buchanan Rawhiti	5	2	-	-	8
Jake Riley	12	4	-	-	16
Garrett Smith	4	-	-	-	-
Josh Smith*	16	10	-	-	40
Matiu Stone-Dunn	15	7	-	-	28
Murray Taulagi *	1	-	-	-	-
Jake Thornton	2	-	-	-	-
Keanu Wainohu-Kemp	5	1	-	-	4
Luke Webley	5	-	-	-	-
Shane Wright *	1	1	-	-	4
Totals		62	41	0	330

Honours

Club

• Player of the Year: Ross Bella
• Players' Player: Matiu Stone-Dunn
• Rookie of the Year: Josh Smith
• Club Person of the Year: Marco Peters

References

1. "Adam Cook, Kai O'Donnell signs with Mackay Cutters after Canberra Raiders release". The Courier Mail. 19 July 2021.
2. "The seveen locals given first crack at vacant Cutters spots". Daily Mercury. 26 November 2020.
3. "The seveen locals given first crack at vacant Cutters spots". Daily Mercury. 26 November 2020.
4. "Junior Kiwis rake ready to fight for Cutters start". Daily Mercury. 17 January 2021.
5. "Adam Cook, Kai O'Donnell signs with Mackay Cutters after Canberra Raiders release". The Courier Mail. 19 July 2021.
6. "From Dubbo to Penrith to Mackay". Sunshine Coast Daily. 15 January 2021.
7. "Season 2021 Intrust Super Cup signings begin". Northern Pride RLFC. 11 January 2021.
8. "'Ticks all the boxes'". Queensland Times. 16 January 2021.
9. "CQ stars signs with NRL powerhouse". The Morning Bulletin. 9 October 2020.
10. "Former Manly, Dragons and Titans stars join Moranbah". Daily Mercury. 13 January 2021.
11. "Comeford's soft spot lands him Brothers top job". The Morning Bulletin. 16 October 2020.
12. "Brisbane Tigers: Gains and losses 2021". QRL. 10 March 2021.
13. "Salford confirm signing of Tonga half-back Ata Hingano". Love Rugby League. 15 June 2021.
14. "Northern Pride: Gains and losses 2021". QRK. 12 March 2021.
15. "Northern Pride: Gains and losses 2021". QRK. 12 March 2021.
16. "Norths Devils: Gains and losses 2021". QRL. 14 March 2021.
17. "Comeford's soft spot lands him Brothers top job". The Morning Bulletin. 16 October 2020.
18. "Sunshine Coast Falcons: Gains and losses 2021". QRL. 17 March 2021.
19. "Intrust Super Cup round 12 teams". QRL. 20 July 2021.