# 2018 Mackay Cutters season

The 2018 Mackay Cutters season was the 11th in the club's history. Coached by Steve Sheppard and captained by Tom Murphy, they competed in the QRL's Intrust Super Cup. The club missed the finals for the fifth consecutive season, finishing last and winning their third wooden spoon.

## Season summary

The Cutters entered 2018 with a younger and less experienced side following the departures of co-captains Andrew Davey and Setaimata Sa. New recruits included Wests Tigers NSW Cup duo Jordan Grant and Darcy Cox, Northern Pride forward Jack Brock and former Canberra Raiders U20 back Jack Hickson.
Another poor start to the season followed for the club, as they won just three of their first nine games. Things went from bad to worse after their bye week, as they went on a club record 10-game losing streak. Halfback Cooper Bambling rejoined the club mid-season after joining the Canberra Raiders in the off-season but his return would not help the club's fortunes. The streak ended in Round 21 with a 16-all draw against the Redcliffe Dolphins. The club won just one more game and finished the season in last place.
Jordan Grant won the club's Player of the Year and Players' Player awards in his first season with the Cutters.

## Squad movement
### Gains

| Player | Signed From | Until End of |
| Cooper Bambling | Canberra Raiders (mid-season) | 2018 |
| Jack Brock | Northern Pride | 2018 |
| Zac Butler | Western Mustangs | 2018 |
| Darcy Cox | Wests Tigers | 2018 |
| Jesse Dee | Illawarra Cutters | 2018 |
| Dane Francis | St George Illawarra Dragons | 2018 |
| Jordan Grant | Wests Tigers | 2018 |
| Bailey Hartwig | Norths Devils | 2018 |
| Jack Hickson | Woden Valley Rams | 2018 |

### Losses

| Player | Signed From | Until End of |
| Cooper Bambling | Canberra Raiders | 2018 |
| Jack Blagbrough | Leigh Centurions | 2018 |
| Andrew Davey | Townsville Blackhawks | 2018 |
| Jake Eden | Released | – |
| Gareth Moore | Released | – |
| Jacob Pottinger | Released | – |
| Isaac Richardson | Released | – |
| Setaimata Sa | Wests Tigers Mackay | 2018 |
| Kouma Samson | Mount Albert Lions | 2018 |
| Semisi Tyrell | Mount Albert Lions | 2018 |

## Fixtures
### Regular season

| Date | Round | Opponent | Venue | Score | Tries | Goals |
| Saturday, 10 March | Round 1 | Townsville Blackhawks | BB Print Stadium | 12 – 56 | Atherton, Joass | Hynes (2) |
| Sunday, 18 March | Round 2 | Easts Tigers | Suzuki Stadium | 24 – 26 | Dunn, Faletagoa'i, Laybutt, Saumalu, Wiltshire | Laybutt (2) |
| Saturday, 24 March | Round 3 | Central Queensland Capras | BB Print Stadium | 18 – 16 | Hodges, Laybutt, Wiltshire | Laybutt (3) |
| Saturday, 31 March | Round 4 | Northern Pride | Barlow Park | 16 – 22 | Bowie (2), Coote, Hodges | |
| Saturday, 7 April | Round 5 | Sunshine Coast Falcons | BB Print Stadium | 4 – 32 | Atherton | |
| Saturday, 14 April | Round 6 | Ipswich Jets | North Ipswich Reserve | 28 – 18 | Faletagoa'i (2), Bobongie, Leslie, Wiltshire | Bowie (4) |
| Saturday, 21 April | Round 7 | Redcliffe Dolphins | BB Print Stadium | 10 – 38 | Bowie, Saumalu | Bowie (1) |
| Saturday, 28 April | Round 8 | Tweed Heads Seagulls | BB Print Stadium | 24 – 52 | Dunn, Hodges, Saumalu, Wiltshire | Bowie (4) |
| Saturday, 5 May | Round 9 | Norths Devils | Bishop Park | 26 – 10 | Bobbert, Brown, Cox, Hodges, Hynes | Hynes (3) |
| | Round 10 | Bye | | | | |
| Sunday, 20 May | Round 11 | Souths Logan Magpies | Davies Park | 30 – 42 | Bowie, Coote, Faletagoa'i, Hynes, Murphy, Wiltshire | Hynes (3) |
| Saturday, 26 May | Round 12 | Burleigh Bears | Pizzey Park | 10 – 20 | Bambling, Brown | Hynes (1) |
| Saturday, 2 June | Round 13 | Wynnum Manly Seagulls | BB Print Stadium | 20 – 34 | Atherton, Faletagoa'i, Hynes, Wiltshire | Hynes (2) |
| Sunday, 10 June | Round 14 | PNG Hunters | National Football Stadium | 12 – 26 | Bambling, Hodges | Joass (2) |
| Saturday, 16 June | Round 15 | Townsville Blackhawks | Jack Manski Oval | 22 – 28 | Atherton, Faletagoa'i, Grant, Joass | Joass (3) |
| Saturday, 30 June | Round 16 | Central Queensland Capras | Browne Park | 6 – 20 | Laybutt | Joass (1) |
| Friday, 6 July | Round 17 | Ipswich Jets | BB Print Stadium | 0 – 54 | | |
| Saturday, 14 July | Round 18 | Easts Tigers | BB Print Stadium | 10 – 44 | Hynes, Leslie | Hynes (1) |
| Saturday, 21 July | Round 19 | Sunshine Coast Falcons | Denison Park | 18 – 40 | Atherton, Brown, Saumalu | Hynes (3) |
| Sunday, 29 July | Round 20 | Tweed Heads Seagulls | Piggabeen Sports Complex | 22 – 24 | Atherton, Bowie, Hynes, Saumalu, Treston | Hynes (1) |
| Saturday, 4 August | Round 21 | Redcliffe Dolphins | Dolphin Stadium | 16 – 16 | Leslie (2), Grant | Hynes (2) |
| Saturday, 11 August | Round 22 | Northern Pride | BB Print Stadium | 12 – 24 | Bowie, Wright | Laybutt (2) |
| Saturday, 18 August | Round 23 | Norths Devils | BB Print Stadium | 32 – 24 | Bambling, Batchelor, Grant, Laybutt, Leslie, Wiltshire | Laybutt (4) |
| Saturday, 25 August | Round 24 | Souths Logan Magpies | BB Print Stadium | 14 – 22 | Bowie, O'Brien, Wiltshire | Hynes (1) |
| Legend: Win Loss Draw Bye |||||||

## Statistics

* Denotes player contracted to the North Queensland Cowboys for the 2018 season
| Name | App | T | G | FG | Pts |
| Jye Andersen | 7 | - | - | - | - |
| Blake Atherton | 18 | 6 | - | - | 24 |
| Cooper Bambling | 14 | 3 | - | - | 12 |
| Jayden Batchelor | 2 | 1 | - | - | 4 |
| Sheldon Bobbert | 7 | 1 | - | - | 4 |
| Jardine Bobongie | 6 | 1 | - | - | 4 |
| Yamba Bowie | 23 | 7 | 9 | - | 46 |
| Jack Brock | 5 | - | - | - | - |
| Nick Brown | 22 | 3 | - | - | 12 |
| Zac Butler | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| Josh Chudleigh | 3 | - | - | - | - |
| Lachlan Coote | 8 | 2 | - | - | 8 |
| Darcy Cox | 8 | 1 | - | - | 4 |
| Jesse Dee | 3 | - | - | - | - |
| Mitchell Dunn | 17 | 2 | - | - | 8 |
| Johnny Faletagoa'i | 21 | 6 | - | - | 24 |
| Leonati Feiloakitau | 2 | - | - | - | - |
| Dane Francis | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| Jordan Grant | 23 | 3 | - | - | 12 |
| Bailey Hartwig | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| Jack Hickson | 7 | - | - | - | - |
| Sam Hoare | 11 | - | - | - | - |
| Jayden Hodges | 21 | 5 | - | - | 20 |
| Nicho Hynes | 21 | 5 | 19 | - | 58 |
| Kellen Jenner | 9 | - | - | - | - |
| Jack Joass | 5 | 2 | 6 | - | 20 |
| Lona Kaifoto | 14 | 1- | - | - | - |
| Kyle Laybutt | 14 | 4 | 11 | - | 38 |
| Bennett Leslie | 19 | 5 | - | - | 20 |
| Jared Maguire | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| Tyson Martin | 2 | - | - | - | - |
| Sam Murphy | 3 | - | - | - | - |
| Tom Murphy | 13 | 1 | - | - | 4 |
| John O'Brien | 2 | 1 | - | - | 4 |
| Nathan Saumalu | 21 | 5 | - | - | 20 |
| Brenden Treston | 13 | 1 | - | - | 4 |
| Kurt Wiltshire | 13 | 8 | - | - | 32 |
| Shane Wright | 10 | 1 | - | - | 4 |
| Totals | | 74 | 45 | 0 | 386 |

## Honours
### Club

* Player of the Year: Jordan Grant
* Players' Player: Jordan Grant
* Rookie of the Year: Jye Andersen
* Club Person of the Year: Danell Curtis