Mackay is gearing up for next week's National Indigenous Cricket Championships and as host State, Queensland is out to make a big impression on and off the field.
The Queensland male and female teams named today will fly the flag for their State and First Nations communities, with the titles getting underway from next Wednesday 2 April to Monday 7 April at Harrup Park.
It will be the first time Queensland has hosted the national titles in their current format, which have been staged on Arrernte Country in Mparntwe, Alice Springs for the past eight years.
Cricket Australia announced late last year that the Championships would be held on Yuwibara Country in Mackay, with the finals held at Great Barrier Reef Arena.
Both Queensland teams have Mackay-based players in their squads, with Cody Filewood (Pioneer Valley) flying the flag for the men and Tracee Williamson, Grace Warcon, Jessica Martin and Dharmini Chauhan the hometown heroes in the women’s squad.
The Queensland Indigenous Women's team won the national titles in 2023 and were runners-up last season to NSW.
Their squad has been strengthened by the inclusion of allrounder Dharmini Chauhan, who was player of the tournament for NSW last season, and Jessica Martin who has previously represented Victoria.
Queensland Cricket Academy and Queensland 2nd XI representative Dylan McLachlan will captain the men’s team, with the Valley wicket-keeper leading a youthful squad that includes several promising Queensland Premier Cricket players like Cruz Baker (Norths), Darcy Graham (Wests) and Banjo Seaniger(Sunshine Coast Scorchers).
McLachlan has previously played List A cricket for the Queensland Bulls.
Former Queensland Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander XI and Queensland Country representative Brad Stout will coach the women’s team, with ex-New Zealand international and QC staffer Nicola Browne also assisting with their preparation.
Townsville’s Michael Prien will coach the men’s team, with former Queensland players Barry Weare and Dylan Blackman filling the assistant coach and manager’s role respectively.
Prien is also a former Queensland Indigenous representative while Weare played for the Prime Minister’s XI against Pakistan in Canberra in 2005.
2025 Queensland Women’s Indigenous Team
Christina Coulson Kaurareg (Valley DCC)
Clodagh Ryall Kaurareg (Wynnum-Manly DCC)
Dharmini Chauhan Wiradjuri (Mackay CC)
Grace Abdy Waanyi Ganggalida (Valley DCC)
Tamika Hansen Iman (Norths, Cairns)
Lucy Neumann Ngyiampaa (Gold Coast DCC)
Jessica Martin Wiradjuri (Mackay CC)
Grace Warcon South Sea Islander (Mackay CC)
Tracee Williamson Kaurareg (Sarina Cricket)
Carys Underwood Kaomu (Sunshine Coast DCC)
Tameika Wilson Dharug (Toombul DCC)
Juliette Wenitong Kabi Kabi (Norths, Cairns)
COACH: Brad Stout
QC Staff: Nicola Browne
TEAM MANAGER: Tamika Hansen
2025 Queensland Men’s Indigenous Team
Cruz Baker Dharug (Northern Suburbs DCC)
Jake Coolwell Mununjhali, Gooreng Gooreng, Ghungalu (Toombul DCC)
Zak Patel Tommeginne (Gold Coast DCC)
Dylan McLachlan Kamilaroi (Valley DCC)
Darcy Graham Ganagalidda (Western Suburbs DCC)
Noah Vojinov Wiradjuri (Northern Suburbs DCC)
Jacob Turner MbarBarram (Sandgate-Redcliffe DCC)
Jamison Allan Barkinjii & Maliangaapa (Toombul DCC)
Matty Dalton Ngemba (Queens CC Gold Coast)
Banjo Seaniger Dharug (Caloundra CC)
Brad Radford Barada Barna (Wynnum-Manly)
Cody Filewood Yuwibara (Pioneer Valley / Mackay)
Jaecob Prien Juru & Bindal (Wests Townsville)
COACH: Michael Prien
ASSISTANT COACH: Barry Weare
TEAM MANAGER: Dylan Blackman
QC Staff:Joel Bock
Matches will be streamed across the tournament which can be followed at:
https://play.cricket.com.au/grade/c2f8cbd7-0217-4ac8-8372-1db25c02689f?tab=matches
and
https://play.cricket.com.au/grade/02b45730-bfaf-46c1-aa12-5cb3eb18ffeb?tab=matches