Your Weekly Cutters Check-Up

The Cutters have had another big week at the end of January, plying their trade at the preseason training, as well as receiving some good news from the North Queensland Cowboys.

The Cowboys announced the Mackay Cutters feeder club allocations for 2022, with the Cowboys focusing on “building combinations and player familiarity for top squad players.”

The Cowboys are eager to see the allocations develop under new Head Coach Dave Elliott.

“This decision will also allow [Cowboys] to align our players outside the weekly NRL squad in positional units to build continuity and ensure players become accustomed to playing alongside each other,” said a Cowboys spokesperson.

The Cutters Allocation is as follows:

Morgan McWhirter, Daejarn Asi, Laitia Moceidreke, Tom Dearden, Jason Taumalolo, Jake Granville, Mitch Dunn, Reuben Cotter, Murray Taulagi, Scott Drinkwater, Ben Condon, Valentine Holmes, Tom Gilbert, and Brendan Elliot

The rest of the squad are ripping back into training after a rest at the end of January, with less than 8 sessions until their first trial clash with the CQ Capras on February 19.

The Cutters snatched up Harry Freebairn for their Hostplus Cup Squad as well, grabbing the Halfback from Norths Devils. The 24-year-old made three appearances for the Devils in 2021, and is a solid prospect for the Cutters to have picked up ahead of the season.

As well, Cutters secured Andre Niko’s signature, a young gun who made his debut for the Burleigh Bears as a winger last season, making 13 appearances and 7 tries.

Coach Elliott was excited with how both signings would fit into the Hostplus squads come the first trial against Central Queensland Capras.

Last time out the Cutters v Capras game ended 20-18, with a stellar half from Jack Quinn rocketing the Cutters ahead, and a Brandon Finnegan penalty proving the difference. It’ll be a tough test for both sides, with hopefully as even an outing as the last.

The game will be hosted at Browne Park in Rockhampton on February 19, and the Cutters will back it up the week after, taking on the Cowboys Young Guns at BB Print on February 26.

‍