NRLW and local talent will look to take it all the way in the 2023 BMD Premiership

It’s the first time Mackay will field a side in the BMD Womens competition and head coach Marco Peters believes his side has a great chance to turn heads.

Mackay Cutters

If you love rugby league, Mackay is the town for you in 2023 as the Cutters rewrite the history books to include both men's and women’s sides in this year’s Queensland Cup competition.

Formerly the North Queensland Gold Stars, the team has relocated from Townsville to Mackay and in the process has appointed local league legend Marco Peters as its inaugural coach.

In its last season under the North Queensland banner, the squad held on to win a nail-biting grand final against the Central Queensland Capras.

With rugby league being one of the fastest developing women’s sports in the country, Peters is ambitious about the team’s capabilities for 2023 and made his intentions very clear around where he wants to be at the end of the seven-game regular season.

NRLW Players and Mackay locals Emma Manzelmann and Jade Peters are two local highlights heading into the Cutters inaugural season in the BMD Premiership

“I think we need to play finals this year,” Peters said.

“I’d be disappointed not to make finals.”

Currently the side consists of 50 women who are either signed to the squad or are there on a train and sign basis, but without the NRLW schedule being released, Peters is forced to wait before finalising numbers.

One of the hardest parts of the league is bringing in women from all over the region and creating an elite environment across up to five different locations.

The Cutters side will have women training in Townsville, Moranbah, Cairns and Gladstone outside of its Mackay base, a challenge which Peters is very familiar with.

“As long as you communicate effectively and get them involved … it’s a big thing for them,” Peters said.

“Our biggest strengths over the past few years have been the camps … each week we fly the day before our game and it’s exciting.”

The side will play seven regular season games before hopefully entering the finals series.