Mackay State High School and Mackay Cutters formalise partnership

It is a partnership that has been around since the Cutters’ inception, but this week the club made things official. Read why juniors and women are set to benefit.

There have already been plenty of Mackay State High School students to pass through the ranks of the Mackay Cutters, but this week the two organisations officially formalised their partnership.

The partnership will provide the Cutters with extra facilities which will become especially useful as their women’s program continues to grow.

It will provide the high school with extra resources and coaching knowledge.

Mackay State High School principal Felicity Roberts said the partnership was “outstanding”.

“We have really tried to build our rugby league academy over the past couple of years and certainly the support the Cutters will give us that in terms of coaching ideas,” Ms Roberts said.

“There’s a good feeling among the boys and we are certainly working hard around recruitment and I guess it starts by building our Year 7s and 8s.”

As well as potentially helping them retain talented league players at the school, Ms Roberts said the Cutters could also provide promising career opportunities for her students off-field.

She said it also was about ensuring their facilities were used outside of school hours.

Mackay Cutters head of football Kim Williams said the partnership was in line with the club’s community values of inclusiveness.

He stressed it did not mean the Cutters would stop supporting the other schools.

“It’s not exclusive … but it is certainly a strengthening of our pathway system and an opportunity here with some fantastic facilities and a number of our players and coaching staff already work here,” Williams said.

“It ticks a lot of boxes for us and makes a lot of sense.”

Williams added that throughout the pre-season BB Print Stadium often spends time under repair.

This allows them a safety net for their First Grade side throughout those times, but will ultimately become a base for the Cutters’ junior representative teams.