ONE tough game for Tonga against Papua New Guinea made big prop Agnatius Paasi a wanted man…..and six years later Kristian Woolf has got his prop. The big-hitting, strong running enforcer, who has joined Saints on a two-year deal, explained how the Saints boss’s six-year pursuit started and why it has finally ended. And the big man, who goes by the name Iggy, spelled out just why he likes living up to that tough role in the middle – giving a taster of the full-blooded style Saints supporters can expect when he dons the red vee. Paasi explained: “Woolfy has always tried to get me after that game playing for Tonga in 2014.
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Sean Mullany knows he has his work cut out to be the Mackay Cuttersâ first-choice rake, but is ready and willing to fight for a key playmaking role in Michael Crawleyâs side.
The 21-year-old junior Kiwis international is no stranger to north Queensland or Queensland Cup football.
The Cowboys brought him across the ditch as a 16 year old to board at Townsvilleâs rugby league nursery, Ignatius Park College.
Originally a halfback, Mullanyâs on-field leadership qualities were soon identified and he was shifted to hooker, where he could more capably lead his teams up and down the pitch.
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Michael Bell left the Mackay Cutters as an 18 year old to begin his would-be professional rugby league apprenticeship with the North Queensland Cowboys.
Now 21, he returns home with the world at his feet and an NRL berth within reach, should he be ready and willing to claim it.
Bell is one of 12 Cowboys players allocated to the Cutters for the 2021 Intrust Super Cup season, joining a list of local products ready to be called upon by coach Michael Crawley should they not be tapped for an NRL start.
Mackay rugby league products Reuben Cotter, Shane Wright and Mitch Dunn have all shared time between the Cowboys and Cutters in seasons past, using the Queensland Cup as a platform for bigger and better football honours.
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Coach Michael Crawley says the Mackay Cuttersâ allocation of North Queensland Cowboys players will âmake a big differenceâ to the clubâs 2021 Intrust Super Cup campaign.
And though the pair of internationals are unlikely to see the field as Cutters this season, there are a handful of other notable names who could play key roles in Crawley s side.
Emre Pere, Shane Wright, Mitch Dunn and Reuben Cotter have all played regular minutes for the Cutters in the recent past and, besides Pere, are also Mackay region locals.
Moranbah product Michael Bell is another with ties to the Cutters who could see Queensland Cup time.
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Subscriber only IPSWICH Jets head coach Keiron Lander hopes a second team from the Queensland Cup club will provide a welcome ripple effect next year. Lander is confident fielding a Jets side in an eight-team 2021 Rugby League Ipswich (RLI) competition can provide multiple benefits for the city. Apart from giving more players regular game time, Lander hopes it boosts Jets ties with RLI clubs and builds a new pathway to the Intrust Super Cup. It will strengthen the competition, more people coming through the gate creating more revenue, Lander said. So there is a whole heap of positives with a ripple effect if we give it a go.