Dolphins Dominate Cutters In NRL Curtain Raiser

Mackay Cutters have continued their topsy-turvy form in the 2024 QRL Hostplus Cup rugby league series.

There was no joy for Michael Comerford’s charges last weekend after suffering a 42-6 shellacking at the hands of Redcliffe Dolphins at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville.

It is a savage blow for the Cutters who have slumped to tenth spot after starting their premiership campaign with encouraging victories in the early rounds.

The match was played in front of a boisterous crowd as a curtain raiser to the Cowboys v Warriors NRL fixture.
A listless Mackay team had no answer to the rampant Dolphins who racked up seven tries in a dominant second-half performance.

Redcliffe winger Brenton Baira capped an impressive display with a hat-trick of tries.
The Dolphins jumped to an early 10-0 lead when Baira and half back Sean O’Sullivan both posted tries after nine minutes.

Skipper and lock Max Brailey crashed over for Redcliffe’s third try in the 31st minute with five eighth Joshua James adding the extras.

Mackay hit back with a converted try by winger Brent Anderson to trail 16-6 at the interval.

It was all Redcliffe in the second stanza as they chalked up 26 unanswered points through another two tries by Baira and four pointers to prop forward Jarrod Wallace, fullback Latrell Siegwalt and barnstorming centre Valynce Te Whare plus three James goals.

The win was Redcliffe’s seventh in twelve matches this season and lifts the club into fifth spot on the ladder.
Mackay are desperate to turn around their form when they host the Ipswich Jets this Saturday night at BB Print Stadium from 6pm.

Emerging Queensland Under 19s hooker Xavier Kerrisk is a young gun to watch for the Cutters after an illustrious career at schoolboy level with St Patrick’s College Mackay.
Both Kerrisk and Cowboys rookie Jaxon Purdue are two local heroes tipped for bigger things.

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