‘It’s where it kicked off’: Ex-NRL player to give back at West Tigers

After finishing up his four-year stint playing at the highest level, West Tigers Mackay’s very own Andrew Davey is ready to give back to the club that started it all.

Andrew Davey playing for Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. Credit: NRL Images.

West Tigers Mackay have got their man, with former Parramatta Eel and Mackay Cutters product Andrew Davey signing on as their new A-grade coach for the 2025 Mackay and District Rugby League season.

Davey, 32, grew up in Maryborough and moved to Mackay in 2015 where he joined the Tigers’ A-grade side.

He signed for the Cutters on a train and trial deal in 2016, before moving to Townsville to join the Blackhawks in 2017.

He earned his call-up to the big leagues in 2020, making his debut for the Eels in round 10 of the NRL season.

He went on to play for Manly Sea Eagles for two seasons, before a brief stint with Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, and finally ended up back at the Eels for one last season in 2023.

Davey playing for Parramatta in 2023.

Since then he returned to Mackay where he was involved with the Tigers as an assistant coach to Michael Baker in 2024, and now he’ll take on the top job.

“I came from Wests, this is where it sorted of kicked off for myself. It’s been nice to give back already so far and to have a chance to continue to do so for the next year,” Davey said.

“I enjoyed going through the system here in Mackay, starting with local A-grade for Wests and then through to Cutters. It’s nice to be back here helping out within the same system that gave me my chance.

“That’s the circle of life I suppose, you get your chance and then you give back.”

Davey said he’s looking forward to imparting some of the wisdom he’s gained from his time in the NRL.

“I’ve had a lot of great coaches who have taught me a lot of different things about the game, and I’m keen to pass on that to the lads we have coming through at West,” he said.

“Whether they want to go on to the higher levels themselves or if they just want to be their best at the local level, I want to help them achieve that.”

Davey celebrates a try for Manly in 2022. Picture: NRL Photos

The Tigers missed out on a finals berth by the slimmest of margins this season, finishing in sixth-place and just one point shy of finalist Moranbah Miners.

“That’s footy, you either win or you lose and it doesn’t matter how much by. But from what I saw there are a lot of good kids coming through the club,” Davey said.

“The bones of the club are really strong, and my only job is to build on that as best I can.

“There’s some good depth of talent at the club, we had the reserves grade that made finals and strengthening them will only do good things for our A-grade as well.”