Thursday, August 24, 2023

Issue:

Mackay and Whitsunday Life

Cutters Claim Win Over Young Guns In Half A Match

Inclement weather called off the Mackay Cutters trial match against the North Queensland Cowboys Young Guns at half time over the weekend.

An unfortunate bout of rain brought an end to the game at half time, which saw the Sugar City’s Cutters take on a Young Guns side comprised mainly of 18-year-olds.

The Cutters were looking to build on their last month of preseason, with Cutters’ coach David Elliott eager to show Mackay what “the club was all about this season.”

The Young Guns took kick-off to get the game going, and Cutters’ Ryan Bella was first to dive into the white and blue pack.

Five North Queensland Toyota Cowboys were named for the Cutters ahead of the clash, with outside backs Laitia Moceidreke, Brendan Elliot, half Daejarn Asi, prop Morgan McWhirter and second-rower Ben Condon will all line up in the curtain raiser to the Cowboys and Broncos trial.

The seniority of the Cutters was evident in the half, more in terms of their slow mounting of pressure compared with the Young Guns energetic approach to the game.

An exchange of possession early in the half demonstrated the dichotomy between the sides; the Cutters were calm and composed in their build up the field, while the Young Guns were eager to step, twist and attempt to break the lines each in turn.

Cutters held positionally strong in the opening plays, acquitting themselves well against what are some of North Queensland’s up and coming prospects.

Energy came from the bounding Young Gun Herbie Farnworth, who seemed to come alive whenever he was passed the ball, but it was Cutters that opened the scoring with an exceptionally worked move.

Flynn Camilleri, last season’s Hastings Deering Colts players’ player crossed first in the seventh minute – the winger was well wide when he received the ball with only the easy part left to do.

The hard work had been done by Andre Niko and Blake Paskins, with Niko in particular making a backward pass just before a crunching tackle from two Young Guns.

It was a back-and-forth affair for the next six minutes before Paskins converted after darting through two of the Young Guns’ wide players.

Brandon Finnegan was unable to convert on the Cutters first two tries, dragging them wide on both occasions.

After the Young Guns took kick-off again, Sam Faapito ran the length of the pitch in a spectacular effort that would have been the try of pre-season had he not been tackled just before crossing and subsequently rolled out of the by-line.

It was tense on both ends, with Cutters' strong defence proving the difference between the sides for the remainder of the half – there were chances aplenty, though, and Cutters were often lucky not to concede.

The game was still in the Cutters’ favour when Jayden Morgan made a straight line run into the Young Guns pack, clattering Reece Foley who had come on during a substitution. Foley was sadly unable to continue and was substituted due to injury concerns.

Cutters capitalised on the deflated Young Guns, with Paskins again crossing at the end of the half, with Finnegan once again dragging the kick wide. The half finished 18-0, and subsequently the game when lightning was fast approaching on the horizon.

With a half-win on their sides, the Cutters will be looking ahead to their next trial in Bowen against the Townsville Blackhawks, a team which head coach David Elliott was well acquainted with, having coached the Blackhawks Deering Colts side.

That game takes place on Saturday, March 12.

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