Kawana Dolphins centre Dakota Tolhurst crowned best outside back

Sunshine Coast rugby league talent Dakota Tolhurst has been crowned the best A-grade outside back in South East Queensland after a mammoth vote.

Kawana Dolphins player Dakota Tolhurst has been crowned the best first grade rugby league outside back in South East Queensland. Picture: Patrick Woods

Sunshine Coast rugby league talent Dakota Tolhurst has been crowned South East Queensland’s best outside back after finishing second in the statewide voting.

News Corp Australia compiled a list of 120 nominations of the state’s best A-grade fullbacks, centres and wingers and opened it up for public vote to unearth the most regarded star by clubs, fans and the community.

Southern Suburbs’ Zack Soisak was crowned best of the best, polling 12.1 per cent, with Kawana Dolphins centre Dakota Tolhurst and Cairns-based Kangaroos premier grade winger Daniel Woodhouse picking up 11.1 per cent each.

Check out the full statewide results of your local players here.

Tolhurst said he was humbled to be voted among that state’s top players.

“I never thought I was that good but I guess my team and my coach think otherwise,” he said.

“I think a big reason behind it is because of my team and us just being so close and so understanding of each other it gives me a lot of confidence to play good footy every week.

“I’m obviously really thankful to be up there with all of the other great players across Queensland.”

Kawana Dolphins player Dakota Tolhurst has been crowned the best first grade rugby league outside back in South East Queensland. Picture: Patrick Woods

The award comes after former Kawana Dolphins and current Mackay Cutters player Thomas Sly took out the voting in 2021.

Tolhurst, 24 – who began playing for the Caloundra Sharks aged nine – said it would be easy for his ‘effort plays’ to go unnoticed.

“I’m not much of a flashy player as I tend to do a lot more of the tough work and all of the hard stuff that some people probably don’t recognise as much,” he said.

“I know my coaches and my teammates appreciate those effort plays and that side of my game which is a big reason for my performances,” he said.

The carpenter by trade said he was proud of his efforts following last year’s grand final victory and still had the desire to make it to the Intrust Super Cup level.

“I definitely wouldn’t mind having a crack at that next level because I was with the Sunshine Coast Falcons in under-16s, 18s and then 20s for three years but nothing really came off the back of it,” he said.

“I just went back to club land and am trying to play good footy there because anything could happen and it would definitely be a goal of mine to get a Queensland Cup game under my belt.”

Dolphins head coach Andrew Hinson said Tolhurst was a very reliable player.

“Dakota is an extremely hard worker who is a very dangerous ball runner due to his size and strength,” Hinson said.

“He is a good leader for us, one of those players that doesn’t say a lot but never plays a bad game and sits around a rating of eight or nine out of 10 every week.

“He is a very coachable player, listens to what is required and goes out and implements it, a player that I can rely on.”