Key Mackay Cutters updates ahead of toughest test yet against Wynnum Manly

The Cutters may top the Hostplus Cup ladder, but it’s nothing worth celebrating says Comerford. Here are the key personnel updates and where they must improve to topple the Seagulls.

Mahe Fonua in action for the Mackay Cutters. Picture: Mackay Cutters Facebook.

The Mackay Cutters are sitting pretty.

The club is first on the ladder in the Hostplus Cup and BMD Premiership, and the female under-19s won the inaugural Harvey Norman grand final over the weekend.

The Mal Meninga Cup side is also well placed to make a finals charge with five wins and two losses.

“It’s probably as good a start as we’ve ever had as a club, to have no team that hasn’t performed is great,” Hostplus Cup coach Michael Comerford said.

“For the Cup team particularly, it’s only four games that we’ve played. We prefer winning to the alternative but at the same time we’ve got almost 20 rounds ahead of us.

“We’re definitely playing the long game and not getting caught up and too excited.

“Probably the best bit about it is to have a start to the season with three away one at home and to win three in that stretch. So we’ve got a tough period opposition-wise over the next four weeks, but over the next six to eight weeks I think we’ve got a fair chunk of home games in there as well.”

Mackay Cutters Harvey 19s celebrate their premiership triumph. It’s shaping as a dominant year for the club in junior and senior football.

The Hostplus Cup side’s top-of-the-table start comes after former NRL player Kenny Edwards was released before he could register a Hostplus Cup appearance.

With his team fresh off a barnstorming 52-14 win against the Western Clydesdales, Comerford noted the Cutters would face stiff opposition in Wynnum Manly, who strung together three wins on the trot against quality opposition.

“It’s going to be a massive step up for the whole squad,” said Comerford.

He said his side’s biggest focus would be eradicating the lapses of concentration that lead to errors, although he noted there was significant improvement on that front last weekend.

Remaining onside is another area where the Cutters’ focus will be concentrated against the Seagulls.

“The referees are pretty consistently pulling teams back 12, 13 metres now,” said Comerford.

“We just spoke about rather than looking for the 10 metres look for the referee.”

The Cutters will also be without captain Sean Mullany and Wil Sullivan for around six weeks following the injuries they picked up against the Blackhawks, with Mullany confirmed to have sustained a high-grade MCL tear, while Sullivan sustained a syndesmosis injury

Mullany’s absence meant Jai Hansen had been tasked with filling the void at hooker.

“I thought his service was excellent,” Comerford said of Hansen.

“He’s the type of hooker that is probably better when he’s got a chance to build into a game rather than the shorter stint.

“I think he’s made a real improvement with his defensive movements from where he started in round one.”

Following a successful debut where he notched 50 minutes of playing time and scored a try, 18-year-old Jaxon Purdue could be set for an extended run with his hometown Hostplus Cup outfit, while Tom McNulty also impressed in first Cutters game.

Jaxon Purdue playing for the Mackay Cutters in his Hostplus Cup debut. Picture: Mackay Cutters Facebook.

Purdue spent most of the Clydesdales game in the middle and shifted to centre late.

“We’re pretty comfortable with what it looks like with him playing through the middle, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that he’s not going to play your typical middle role,” said Comerford.

“In saying that when he carries the ball he does it at speed ... he puts himself in really good positions.

“It didn’t take much of an adjustment from the group to accommodate him in that role ... and we were pretty happy with how it went on the weekend.”

Purdue also bobbed up for a try, building upon his habit of crossing the stripe on the biggest stages he’s presented.

“It’s no coincidence he’s popping up at the right time,” said Comerford, noting he could’ve had a second try too.