Townsville Goldstars hand over QRL rights to Mackay ahead of 2023 BMD Premiership season

Mackay is to become the centre of Northern Qld women’s rugby league after taking over licensing rights with the move set to boost pathways for players hoping to make it to the NRLW.

Jasmine Peters with her Dad and new coach Marco alongside Emma Manzelmann after the official announcement of the Mackay Cutters BMD premiership team in the Womens competition.

A new pathway for Northern Queensland women rugby league players will open in Mackay in 2023.

Mackay Cutters chief executive Mitch Cook announced Tuesday morning the North Queensland Gold Stars will hand over the licensing reins to the club for the QRL Women’s Premiership, also known as the BMD Premiership.

Head of Football Kim Williams, CEO Mitch Cook and coach Marco Peters front the media after their announcement of the 2023 BDP Womens team running out of Mackay

The new Mackay squad will include players from Cairns’ Northern Pride and Townsville’s Gold Stars.

Cook said this was a great opportunity for the region and women’s sport.

“It’s a very special day for the club,” Cook said.

“We are excited and proud to have the team represented out of Mackay, and will be a great pathway for women’s footy”.

Training is set to get under way Tuesday afternoon with coach Marco Peters strong on what this team could produce this season.

“We’ve got a really good squad,” Peters said.

“We want to get that culture right from the beginning … we should go really well we should be really competitive.”

With hopes the team will serve as a direct feeder into the NRLW system, the league is awaiting the final release of the schedule to have a better understanding of where their games will be played across the year.

Jasmine Peters and Emma Manzelmann of the Mackay Cutters are excited to have the team in the Region, and think it will act as the perfect catalyst for players to reach the NRLW

Current NRLW stars Jasmine Peters and Emma Manzelmann said they were excited about the prospect of playing in front of a home crowd, and how significant it was for young female athletes to be exposed to the environment.

“Playing for your hometown means more,” Manzelmann said.

Like Peters, she was excited about becoming a role model in her hometown.

“I started my journey in football in Mackay and to bring it back local is amazing,” Peters said.

“It opens up all the opportunities for young girls and the sport of rugby league.”

Both women look forward to the inclusion of the North Queensland Cowboys NRLW inaugural side for the upcoming season.