We reveal Mackay’s seven best sporting clubs of 2023
From first-grade dominance to success across every age-group, we’ve run the rule over Mackay’s various sporting clubs to determine 2023’s best performers. Discover the clubs that shone.
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Many Mackay sporting clubs reached tantalising highs in 2023.
From first-grade premierships to success across every age-group, we’ve run the rule over the clubs of each sporting code to determine Mackay’s best from the past year.
Discover which clubs stood tall below.
North Mackay Saints (Aussie rules)
The North Mackay Saints completed a year as historic as they come this AFL Mackay season.
The senior men cemented their place as the greatest dynasty in AFL Mackay history by winning a groundbreaking fifth consecutive premiership.
But the Saints’ women’s side also made history, capping off a dominant season to breakthrough for a maiden premiership after 10 consecutive finals appearances.
The Saints also performed strongly in the junior ranks with the under-14s claiming a premiership, while the under-17 boy’s reached the preliminary final and the under-12s the first week of finals.
The Saints reserves came up short in the decider, but it all six teams they fielded in 2023 reached the finals, with half going on to claim premierships.
Mackay Brothers/Brothers Bulldogs (Rugby league)
Narrowly pipping Magpies, Brothers were the overall standout across men’s, women’s and junior rugby league in 2023.
Magpies did have the wood over Brothers in both the men’s A-grade and U20 grand finals, however, on top of reaching the deciding match in both, Brothers would also claim the A-grade women’s premiership.
In the junior ranks, Brothers Bulldogs were the most successful club, picking up under-13, under-15, and under-17 boy’s premierships. As such, Brothers were crowned junior club champions and also picked up the Ivan Bradford Award from having the most teams in grand finals.
Brothers under-14 girl’s side also finished runners up, and both under-16 boy’s sides reached the semi-finals.
While the premiership success was great, it could be argued the Bulldogs greatest achievement was producing six NRL contracted players in 2023. Kayne Smith, Declan Grady and Norman Campbell all committed to the North Queensland Cowboys, while Jake Bryan put pen to paper with the Knights, Adam McSherry the Broncos, and Grange Womal the Titans.
Proserpine-Whitsunday Raiders (Rugby union)
The Raiders continued their dominance Andre Houston in the Mackay Rugby Union 2023 season, downing Moranbah in a tense final to be crowned champions.
It was the club’s fifth grand final appearance and third championship since Houston took the reigns by chance in 2017, but it will be the club’s last under the master coach as he’s set to return to his hometown in New Zealand this year.
Nevertheless, the Raiders stood tall in Mackay Rugby Union in 2023.
Mackay Magpies (Cricket)
Magpies completed the coveted first grade double in Mackay Cricket in the 2022/23 season, taking out both the 40-over First Grade Cup and the 1st Div T20 Shootout.
In the 40-over competition, Magpies’ Adam Zurvas would finish leading run-scorer plundering 516 runs at an average of 57, while tweaker Isaac Borg also claimed 23 scalps at an average of 12.
There were no other premierships for Magpies in 2022/23, with the closest contender being Norths who managed a second grade double, however the lower grade and junior premierships were spread among an abundance of clubs in Mackay Cricket.
Mackay Lions (Football)
Whitsunday United had a memorable year at senior level, taking home both men’s and women’s FQPL championships for the first time, but it was Mackay Lions who performed the strongest across every all divisions and ages.
Remarkably, of the 12 teams the Lions fielded in 2023, 11 made the finals, with five taking home premierships for topping the table.
Eight Lions teams would go on to make grand finals, with the under-17 men’s side, under-15 division 1 side, and FQPL U13 side all crowned champions.
Pino Giannangelo was crowned the FQPL Whitsunday Coast Women’s Coach of the Year, having led the senior women to an astounding seventh consecutive premiership, however they would unfortunately come up short on grand final day.
Mackay Athletics Club (Athletics)
It was a strong year for Mackay Athletics Club, taking out the club championship at the North Queensland Athletics Carnival for the first time in its history.
The club has also produced a number of athletes that excelled in their disciplines throughout 2023.
Middle-distance specialist Toby Rule had a year to remember, running a PB to claim bronze in the U17 3000m at the Australian All Schools Championships in December. Rule also won the mile and 3000m at the NQ Championships, among many other achievements.
Mackay Athletics Club’s Mikayla Webb picked up a silver in the under-17 100m at the Australian All Schools, while Kayce Hoani-Vincent a bronze in the under-17 pole vault.
Talented thrower James Galea also had a strong NQ Championships, taking home for gold and two silver medals.
Norths Hockey Club (Hockey)
Norths had a memorable year on the hockey field, taking out both the men’s and women’s A1 premierships and minor premierships.
The A2 women were also minor premiers but lost the grand final, while the A3 men reached the decider and were unsuccessful.
The club also took out coveted Ebert Family Club Championship Trophy for the highest combined points total.
Across the four senior grade Norths also managed to produce a best and fairest winner; Jane Emblem took home the A1 women’s, Ebony Temple the A2 women’s, Tiffany Curr the A3 women’s, Izaik Paulo the A4 men’s.
Norths also had a number of promising juniors fill its A1 ranks, A1 premiership players Kaleb Mayfield and Sam Riggs travelling to Malaysia after their school exams to represent an Australian All stars side.
Norths A1 women’s goalkeeper Jordan Bliss also earnt selection in the Australian U21 side that travelled to Chile in late November to compete in the FIH Junior World Cup.
Souths Hockey Club can consider themselves tremendously unlucky to have missed out, having taken out A2, A3, and A4 men’s premierships, and also reached the grand final in the A3 women’s.
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