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Mitch Henderson has come to the Sunshine Coast to challenge himself.
The Tamworth product has signed with the Falcons for season 2025, ready to see how far he can push himself after coming through the ranks with the Newcastle Knights and Canberra Raiders.
A bit of a stranger to Queensland, Henderson took a gamble to move north after Falcons coach Brad Henderson – no relation – reached out.
He is leaving behind the security of his family and friends but the 21-year-old is hopeful coming to the Sunshine Coast is exactly what both he and his football need.
“Hendo got in contact with my manager at the back end of the ‘24 season and the move was in the works for a couple of months,” he said.
“I was focusing on finishing the season in Canberra and once it finished up, I had a chat to them all. Hendo made me feel like it was a good opportunity.
“There was an opportunity to stay (with Canberra) but for my footy moving forward, I want to be seen more and play more Cup and the best opportunity to do that is up here.
“I was heaps keen to come up here and give it a crack.
“I moved up in the start of November. I’ve been here a couple of months and love it. It’s beautiful... The sun’s out, the beaches are beautiful.
“The boys have been so welcoming. They’ve made me one of their own straight away.”
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A playmaker, Henderson started playing rugby league at the age of six with the Kootingal Roosters after a short stint in soccer.
Once he switched to league, he never looked back and moved his way up the chain, linking with the Knights at age 15 thanks to their affiliation with his high school, Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School.
This required a fair bit of travel, particularly over the school holidays, with Henderson’s dad having to drive him three and a half hours one way to get from Tamworth to Newcastle.
“My family, my parents… they’re my biggest support,” he said.
“My dad did a lot of driving up and back from Tamworth to Newcastle and it was pretty huge from him.
“They’ve always been there, whatever I’ve needed to make it happen. It’s been big.”
Fresh from his high school graduation, Henderson then moved to Newcastle for 18 months, making his NSW Cup debut in 2022.
He signed with Canberra in 2023 where at first he played Jersey Flegg before making the transition to becoming a regular Cup player. He also played in two NRL pre-season challenge matches for the Raiders.
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“Playing Cup, you’re playing with adults and older heads,” he said.
“They’ve had a lot of experience in NRL. We had the likes of Zac Woolford, Nick Cotric coming back… having those older heads around helping us out was huge.
“They were calmer heads and it was interesting to see their thought process under pressure.
“Then those trial matches for the Raiders… it was the best. It feels like the real deal.
“It was awesome getting around the boys and prepping like it’s an NRL game and having the big crowds and the environment and versing the real deal.
“It’s high quality and high pace and high energy but I loved every minute of that experience.”
Now he’s hoping that coming to the Falcons will help bring him one step closer to that official NRL debut.
It’s a move outside the comfort zone, but one he believes he needs.
“My parents were a bit uncomfortable at the start, but really the drive from Tamworth to Canberra, it’s about the same time from Tamworth to Sunshine Coast,” he said.
“It’s different because up here we have no one. In Canberra I had some family friends but this time it’s just me. It’s a bit different in that sense but it’s nothing too serious.
“I’m pretty grateful in the sense that I’ve had all these experiences. I’m bouncing around and it gives me independence in working myself out and growing up a bit.
“It’s challenging myself and finding the end goal. It’s been a fun path so far.”
Gunning for a spot in the halves alongside Cody Hunter, Henderson has the team’s best interests at the forefront of his mind and hopes the individual rewards will flow off the back of that.
“I just want to have a really good year at the Falcons,” he said.
“The goal is to play Cup and hopefully have a good season and a successful one. It would be beautiful to rip in here, win Cup and see what comes off the back of that.
“At the Falcs you see the turnover of people coming into Cup, having a year or two here and then ending up in an NRL squad. It gives you a bit of hope.”
Sunshine Coast Falcons 2025 gains and losses
Gains
Gideon Afemui (Woden Valley Rams), Josh Billing (Canberra Raiders), Samual Elara (Coolum Colts), Jett Elich (Melbourne Storm), Denver Ford (Gerringong Lions), Mitch Henderson (Canberra Raiders), Zion Johnson (West Brisbane Panthers), Takai Mokohar (Western Clydesdales), Blake Moore (Penrith Panthers Jersey Flegg), Neihana Oldham (Western Clydesdales), Cooper Page-Wilson (Wynnum Manly Seagulls), Taj Ridley (Newcastle Knights), Jeremiah Schuster (New Zealand Warriors), Fletcher Spicer (West Bulldogs Premier Rugby), Drew Timms (Western Clydesdales), Joseph Vite (Warwick Cowboys)
Losses
Matt Baker (Central Queensland Capras), Jed Bignell (Mackay Cutters), Caius Faatili (Wakefield Trinity), Louis Geraghty (Maroochydore Swans), Jason Gillard (released), Kane Jackson (Townsville Blackhawks), Poasi Manu (Norths Devils), Morgan McWhirter (released), Zac Miles (Redcliffe Dolphins), Harrison O’Toole (released), Kyle Paterson (medically retired), Javvier Pitovao (relocated to Sydney), Luke Polselli (London Broncos), Joseph Price (Coolum Colts)