https://www.dailymercury.com.au/news/he-broke-down-cotter-reveals-dads-reaction-to-nrl-/3792991/
Injuries have tarnished many athletes' careers. But for Reuben Cotter, they were just obstacles that made his rise to the NRL all the sweeter. The Sarina Crocodiles junior was always a prodigious, tough-as-nails talent with dreams of donning the North Queensland Cowboys jersey. But back-to-back ACL injuries in 2016-17 threatened to halt his promising career. It was Cotter's family who kept him pushing through the pain towards greater heights, and he said it made delivering the news of his NRL round 13 selection an even more emotional experience.
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https://www.dailymercury.com.au/news/the-glory-years-family-bond-behind-premiership-til/3792865/
Some memories may have faded in the past 20 years, but Simon Mehaffey still remembers the glory days of Bakers Creek fondly. For the most part at least. It was 1999 when the Tigers last tasted premiership success. As an energetic 17 year old, Mehaffey was fit and firing for the club as he toiled in both the senior and reserve grade sides throughout the season. That is, until grand final day. The Tigers' stalwart injured his collarbone in the finals series and was unable to take the field when his side triumphed over Eastern Swans in the big dance. But still, the day is a stand-out memory from the glories of 1999. https://www.dailymercury.com.au/news/tears-luck-and-championships-meteors-historic-mile/3789137/
HE WAS dragged to his first game kicking and screaming. Now, 28 years on, Brad Rasmussen is set to write himself into Mackay basketball's history books. The soon-to-be 245-game veteran will break the record for most games for the Mackay Meteors when they take on Brisbane Capitals tonight at Mackay McDonald's Stadium. Never did he think his first day on court would lead him to this point. "(Mum) brought me down here to play, and I always said I didn't want to play basketball - I wanted to play soccer,” Rasmussen said. "She brought me down here and I was bawling my eyes out. I finally got on the court and ended up loving it. "Mum's my number one supporter. She used to yell out and I used to swear back at her. She's slowed down a little on that thank God.” https://www.dailymercury.com.au/news/magpies-crusaders-lock-in-impressive-ffa-cup-victo/3733553/
SOCCER: IT'S a timeless sporting adage - winning becomes a habit. After a resounding 5-1 FFA Cup victory, it's a cliche Magpies Crusaders United are hoping turns their NPL fortunes around. New captain Nelson Burgess registered his first win at the helm of the team against Mackay Magpies; the school teacher by day taking his mentoring role off the field onto it. In his first season with the club, the defender will lead a young cohort of footballers and will be joined in the leadership group by rising star Ben Coombes. Magpies sporting club general manager Darren Smith said he was confident Burgess would fill the captaincy void left by Michael Lyall with aplomb. "Nelson's only young himself. He's a school teacher and I think he's got a natural ability to lead and a little bit of authority,” Smith said. "He's been tremendous, and from the conversations over the last couple of weeks in and around the squad he's been really good. The young boys have really appreciated his advice and support so I'm sure he'll take to it like a duck to water.” https://www.dailymercury.com.au/news/at-the-time-it-was-like-the-world-was-going-to-end/3752352/
BACK-to-back serious knee injuries gave Jayden Hodges one positive: hindsight. The Mackay Cutters vice-captain had taken his talents to the Manly Sea Eagles on an NRL contract. In 2016, he suffered the first of two ACL tears to halt his progress. The experience was a test for his mental wellbeing. Having overcome his own demons, the Cutters hooker has used this newfound perspective to advocate for men's mental health awareness. "It's known men don't speak ... and blokes have been taught to bottle it up, have some concrete and harden up,” Mr Hodges said. "I didn't really have any experience with long-term injuries, and to have two years off the game, dealing with it is out of your control. "At the time it was like the world was going to end, but now, looking back at it, I'm appreciative I was able to become stronger for it and learn so much more from it. "For me it was about connecting with mentors and blokes that have been through stuff out of their control. We all go through it, and I found that really comforting talking about it.” https://www.dailymercury.com.au/news/positive-mind-key-for-cotter/3680526/
RUGBY LEAGUE: A tumultuous battle with injuries has done little to deter Reuben Cotter's pursuit of NRL honours. Back-to-back tears to his left ACL threatened to derail the hooker's promising career. However, the determined Mackay-bred talent has risen to become an integral component of the Cutters' line-up. Cotter never imagined his return to rugby league would have happened this quickly. However, he is now an allocated player with the North Queensland Cowboys, and said a positive mindset had gone a long way. "Injuries are always going to be hard, and it's even harder when you're out of the game for so long,” Cotter said. "A lot changes in that time, but the club here and the Cowboys have been looking after me for three years.” https://www.dailymercury.com.au/news/semi-final-last-barrier-to-magpies-dream/3680508/
CRICKET: After falling out of love with the game, Magpies skipper Brant Attard has been rejuvenated by his young charges. He spent a year away from cricket believing he had achieved all he wanted to with the bat. Now, surrounded by an energetic group and a passionate coaching staff, Attard said he had rediscovered his passion on the pitch. He was enticed to Magpies by club president Brad Zurvas to guide a young team in need of an experienced leader. The collaboration has been a master-stroke, and Magpies' win over defending premiers Norths at the weekend has them dreaming of premiership glory. https://www.dailymercury.com.au/news/rising-stars-meteoric-rise-for-under-16s/3673696/
BASKETBALL: It was an inspiring comeback in Townsville for Mackay's young basketball champions. The Meteorettes' under-16 side clashed with their Townsville's counterparts last Sunday at the Queensland North Junior Basketball Championships, with a gold medal on the line. Down by 14 points at the end of the first quarter and still trailing at half-time, the girls rallied to get the win. Starving off their fancied rivals, they secured a dramatic 19-point victory. Point guard Paris Santacaterina has been a part of junior representative teams since she was nine-years-old. It has taken a relentless worth ethic to achieve such lofty heights. However standing alongside her passionate team-mates, she said Sunday's triumph was the sweetest moment of her blossoming career. https://www.dailymercury.com.au/news/journey-to-gold-for-mackay-wheelchair-rugby-star/3675204/
WHEELCHAIR RUGBY: A triumphant showing at the Ken Sowden Cup has Joshua Nicholson dreaming of greater heights. The Australian Steeler shone in the five-match series against New Zealand, as his side romped to a cleansweep victory in Melbourne at the weekend. The former Slade Point resident has been a force in the representative arena, compiling almost 40 Australian caps in wheelchair rugby and garnering gold medal honours for Queensland on the basketball court. Now his ambitions are set on competing in his first Paralympic Games in Tokyo next year. "My goal is to get to the Paralympics, so everything I do is leading up to that,” Nicholson said. "I think ever since I realised I could do it, it has been my goal. It would be incredible; it would be everything I've worked towards paying off.” https://www.dailymercury.com.au/news/move-pays-off-lock-forward-a-beast/3680520/
RUGBY LEAGUE: For three years 'Pup' tried in vain to lure the "beast” to Mackay. Now it's reaping rich rewards. Cutters coach Steve 'Pup' Sheppard mentored the passionate Jordan Kenworthy in the Cowboys under 20s system, and saw the wealth of potential in the hard-hitting forward. Knee injuries and a rugby league career in Townsville halted Kenworthy's burgeoning relationship with Sheppard, until the lock signed with Mackay this season. Kenworthy played like a man possessed in Saturday night's 42-20 win over the Central Queensland Capras - the first victory for the Cutters this season. His brace of tries at BB Print Stadium stole the show in the Rivalry Round clash, and his defence packed a punch with every tackle. |
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November 2019
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