FORMER North Queensland Cowboy and Proserpine junior Tyson Martin was last week announced as the club captain for the Absolute Enterprises Mackay Cutters for the 2014 season.
Martin has spent the last three seasons with the North Queensland Cowboys as a Cutters allocated player and has played 55 games for the club.
Martin was typically humble in receiving praise from the head coach and support staff when the announcement was made in front of his peers.
“It is certainly a very big honour,” Martin said. “When I finished my time at the Cowboys I really hoped it would work out that I could return home and play fulltime for the Cutters.
“So far everything both on and off the field has worked out for me. The club is great, I have restarted my apprenticeship and my partner has work so we are very settled in Mackay now.
“I am really looking forward to leading my home region.”
While head coach Kim Williams was quick to praise Martin, he also acknowledged the outstanding leadership displayed by a number of players in the preseason to date.
“We are a very young side again, but I think the talk and communication amongst players and staff is even better than last year,” Williams said.
“Tyson was the choice for captain, but he will be very well assisted by two other capable leaders.
“Chris Gesch and Liam Taylor were both stand out performers for us last year and they are both well entrenched in the culture we have created here so they will make great vice captains.”
He also added that most players have demonstrated leadership through the preseason.
“I am confident that we have assembled a group of young men that will do the community proud both on and off the field,” he said.
“If you are part of the Cutters the expectation is you become a community leader and role model.”
The announcements were very well received by all squad members with players rushing to congratulate the leaders following the announcement.
Long term player (and leadership group member) Zac Dalton said the choice was obvious.
“I am really pleased for T-Mart (Martin). He is from this area and is a class act on and off the field,” Dalton said.
“I know as a group we will be right behind the three nominated captains and doing everything we can to uphold the high standards set by the club."
