# 2015 Mackay Cutters season

The 2015 Mackay Cutters season was the eighth in the club's history. Coached by Kim Williams and captained by Chris Gesch and Liam Taylor, they competed in the QRL's Intrust Super Cup. The club missed the finals for the second consecutive season, finishing 8th.

## Season summary

Looking to return to the finals after missing out in 2014, the Cutters recruited former NRL and Super League forward Steve Rapira, who had previously played for the club in 2009 while contracted to the North Queensland Cowboys, Samoan international Michael Sio and former Brisbane Broncos NRL squad member Cameron Cullen.
The season started strongly for the club, as they went on a five-game winning streak, winning five of their first seven games. The period between their two byes was poor for the side, winning just four of their nine games. On 10 June, it was announced that Kim Williams would be leaving the club at the end of the season to coach the Central Queensland Capras. Seven days later, key off-season recruit Michel Sio left the club, signing with Super League side, Wakefield Trinity. The Cutters ended the year winning one and drawing one of their last seven to finish the season in 8th.
On 9 September, Cowboys-contracted player Josh Chudleigh was named at hooker in the Queensland Cup Team of the Year.

## Squad movement
### Gains

| Player | Signed From | Until End of |
| Gavin Bennion | Warrington Wolves | 2015 |
| Joss Boyton | Muswellbrook Rams | 2015 |
| Sam Clune | Thirroul Butchers | 2015 |
| Corey Cox | Dubbo CYMS | 2015 |
| Cameron Cullen | Redcliffe Dolphins | 2015 |
| Rex Johnson | Souths Logan Magpies | 2015 |
| Ben Jones | Newtown Jets (mid-season) | 2015 |
| Brad Lupi | North Sydney Bears | 2015 |
| Jordan Pereira | Willagee Bears | 2015 |
| Steve Rapira | Salford Red Devils | 2015 |
| Michael Sio | Warriors | 2015 |

### Losses

| Player | Signed From | Until End of |
| Daniel Beasley | Townsville Blackhawks | 2015 |
| Ross Bella | North Queensland Cowboys | 2015 |
| Josh Benjamin | Redcliffe Dolphins | 2015 |
| Karl Davies | Bradford Bulls | 2015 |
| Doug Hewitt | Tweed Heads Seagulls | 2015 |
| Michael Koko | Easts Tigers | 2015 |
| Dan Murphy | Sunshine Coast Falcons | 2015 |
| Dave Petersen | Bradford Bulls | 2015 |
| Jason Schirnack | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 2015 |
| Michael Sio | Wakefield Trinity (mid-season) | 2017 |
| James Uhatafe | Released | – |
| Chris Ulugia | Bradford Bulls | 2015 |
| Brentt Warr | Easts Tigers | 2015 |
| Dean Webster | Released | – |

## Fixtures
### Regular season

| Date | Round | Opponent | Venue | Score | Tries | Goals |
| Saturday, 7 March | Round 1 | Townsville Blackhawks | Jack Manski Oval | 16 – 30 | Chudleigh, Martin, Pereira | Johnson (2) |
| Saturday, 14 March | Round 2 | Tweed Heads Seagulls | Stadium Mackay | 34 – 18 | Chudleigh (2), Cullen, Martin, Moga, Tavae, Walker | Johnson (3) |
| Saturday, 21 March | Round 3 | Wynnum Manly Seagulls | BMD Kougari Oval | 28 – 10 | Chudleigh (2), Cullen, Falepaini, Tavae | Johnson (4) |
| Saturday, 28 March | Round 4 | Easts Tigers | Stadium Mackay | 30 – 8 | Cullen (3), Sio (2) | Johnson (5) |
| Saturday, 4 April | Round 5 | Norths Devils | Stadium Mackay | 13 – 12 | Clune (2), Tavae | Taylor (1 FG) |
| Saturday, 11 April | Round 6 | Central Queensland Capras | Browne Park | 14 – 12 | Cullen, Rawhiti | Taylor (3) |
| Sunday, 19 April | Round 7 | PNG Hunters | Kalabond Oval | 24 – 26 | Chudleigh (2), Clune, Taylor | Taylor (4) |
| | Round 8 | Bye | | | | |
| Sunday, 10 May | Round 9 | Sunshine Coast Falcons | Stadium Mackay | 50 – 16 | Chudleigh, Falepaini, Hoare, Lupi, Pereira, Sio, Tavae, Treston, Walker | Taylor (7) |
| Saturday, 16 May | Round 10 | Ipswich Jets | Stadium Mackay | 20 – 36 | Cullen (2), Pereira, Tavae | Taylor (2) |
| Sunday, 24 May | Round 11 | Burleigh Bears | Pizzey Park | 22 – 23 | Clune, Falepaini, Martin, Walker | Taylor (3) |
| Sunday, 31 May | Round 12 | Northern Pride | Barlow Park | 12 – 10 | Pereira | Taylor (2) |
| Friday, 5 June | Round 13 | Townsville Blackhawks | Stadium Mackay | 12 – 14 | Pereira, Rawhiti | Taylor (2) |
| Saturday, 13 June | Round 14 | Redcliffe Dolphins | Stadium Mackay | 28 – 18 | Hess (2), Pereira, Rawhiti, Treston | Taylor (4) |
| Sunday, 21 June | Round 15 | Easts Tigers | Langlands Park | 16 – 30 | Lupi, Martin, Taylor | Taylor (2) |
| Saturday, 27 June | Round 16 | Wynnum Manly Seagulls | Stadium Mackay | 16 – 26 | Clune, Cullen, Vaituutuu | Taylor (2) |
| Saturday, 4 July | Round 17 | Sunshine Coast Falcons | Sunshine Coast Stadium | 32 – 14 | Rawhiti (2), Chudleigh, Clune, Pereira, Tavae | Taylor (4) |
| | Round 18 | Bye | | | | |
| Saturday, 18 July | Round 19 | Burleigh Bears | Stadium Mackay | 46 – 4 | Chudleigh (2), Gesch, Jones, Martin, Pereira, Treston, Uele | Taylor (7) |
| Sunday, 26 July | Round 20 | Redcliffe Dolphins | Dolphin Oval | 18 – 40 | Chudleigh (2), Falepaini | Taylor (3) |
| Sunday, 2 August | Round 21 | Tweed Heads Seagulls | Piggabeen Sports Complex | 20 – 24 | Chudleigh, Tavae, Taylor, Walker | Taylor (2) |
| Saturday, 8 August | Round 22 | Northern Pride | Stadium Mackay | 22 – 26 | Clune, Jones, Pereira, Taylor | Taylor (3) |
| Saturday, 15 August | Round 23 | Norths Devils | Dalby Leagues Ground | 28 – 40 | Clune (2), Falepaini, Martin, Rawhiti | Taylor (4) |
| Saturday, 22 August | Round 24 | PNG Hunters | Stadium Mackay | 28 – 28 | Chudleigh (2), Gay, Pereira, Wright | Taylor (4) |
| Saturday, 29 August | Round 25 | Souths Logan Magpies | Brandon Park | 18 – 32 | Atherton, Clune, Taylor | Taylor (3) |
| Legend: Win Loss Draw Bye |||||||

## Statistics

* Denotes player contracted to the North Queensland Cowboys for the 2015 season
| Name | App | T | G | FG | Pts |
| John Asiata | 3 | - | - | - | - |
| Blake Atheron | 4 | 1 | - | - | 4 |
| Gavin Bennion | 2 | - | - | - | - |
| Joss Boyton | 17 | - | - | - | - |
| Josh Chudleigh | 19 | 16 | - | - | 64 |
| Sam Clune | 22 | 10 | - | - | 40 |
| Cameron Cullen | 19 | 9 | - | - | 36 |
| Andrew Dale | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| Mitch Day | 9 | - | - | - | - |
| Aleki Falepaini | 21 | 5 | - | - | 20 |
| Andrew Gay | 3 | 1 | - | - | 4 |
| Chris Gesch | 22 | 1 | - | - | 4 |
| Coen Hess | 3 | 2 | - | - | 8 |
| Sam Hoare | 10 | 1 | - | - | 4 |
| Rex Johnson | 5 | - | 14 | - | 28 |
| Ben Jones | 11 | 2 | - | - | 8 |
| Ryan Kinlyside | 12 | - | - | - | - |
| Rory Kostjasyn | 3 | - | - | - | - |
| Brad Lupi | 23 | 2 | - | - | 8 |
| Tyson Martin | 22 | 6 | - | - | 24 |
| Tautau Moga | 2 | 1 | - | - | 4 |
| Kelvin Nielsen | 10 | - | - | - | - |
| Justin O'Neill | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| Josh Osborne | 9 | - | - | - | - |
| Jordan Pereira | 21 | 11 | - | - | 44 |
| Steve Rapira | 5 | - | - | - | - |
| Buchanan Rawhiti | 16 | 6 | - | - | 24 |
| Michael Sio | 13 | 3 | - | - | 12 |
| Justin Tavae | 22 | 7 | - | - | 28 |
| Liam Taylor | 19 | 5 | 61 | 1 | 143 |
| Brenden Treston | 17 | 3 | - | - | 12 |
| Braden Uele | 3 | 1 | - | - | 4 |
| Pulou Vaituutuu | 12 | 1 | - | - | 4 |
| Zack Walker | 9 | 4 | - | - | 16 |
| Matthew Wright | 1 | 1 | - | - | 4 |
| Totals | | 99 | 75 | 1 | 547 |

## Honours
### League

* Hooker of the Year: Josh Chudleigh