Local artist Andrew Doyle, a proud Iman and Kaku-Yalanji man, has won the 2025 Indigenous Jersey Design Competition with the Mackay Cutters. Andrew grew up playing rugby league in Mackay, and his artwork honours both his cultural heritage and his deep connection to the sport.
“The story behind my artwork is a bit of history,” said Andrew.
The design features blue and maroon stripes at the top, representing the Mackay Cutters’ 2013 premiership-winning jersey. The bottom half of the artwork recalls the Mackay Sea Eagles teams of 1992 and 1993, when the club won back-to-back state league titles.
“The middle stripes represent the old coming into the new - both generations having success and coming together as a club and community.
The three circle designs at the top of the piece symbolise the Mackay Junior Rugby League grounds before the construction of BB Print Stadium, with each circle representing a field: Field One, Field Two, and the main field, where everyone aspired to play. The two additional circles represent the mod fields that were once located before the carpark.
Three sea eagle tracks are incorporated into the artwork to pay tribute to the Mackay Sea Eagles teams, past and present. These tracks symbolise the club’s rich history, with the number three representing the titles won in 1992, 1993, and the Mackay Cutters’ 2013 premiership win.
“The footprints going across the artwork represent not only my own journey but the journey of my children and the journey of rugby league for us,” Andrew added.
“With my children growing up in the same area that I did, walking the same route to trainings, games on Saturday and Wednesday school footy, and playing where I grew up playing.
“I had the privilege to represent the Mackay Sea Eagles on a number of occasions but never got to play for the Mackay Cutters.
“My daughter has been part of the Mackay Cutters system for a number of years now and she gets to represent them and our family…so the footprints are of me and my children walking the same journey and me passing my knowledge on to them.”
A representative from Mackay cutters said “We would like to congratulate local artist Andrew Doyle, his artwork has been selected as the design for the Mackay Cutters 2025 Indigenous Jersey thanks to INDCO.”
INDCO aims to represent and empower diverse groups of people to work in their chosen field. They are a quality provider of fabrication services and specialised and skilled labour hire, diversifying in a broad number of industries such as mining, civil and construction, agriculture, transport and environmental rehabilitation.
Stay tuned for the reveal of Andrew’s artwork on the Mackay Cutters’ 2025 Indigenous Jersey.
Pictured left to right: David Roberts, Andrew Doyle, Ben Orme. Photo source: Mackay Cutters
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