Thomas Sly has signed with the Mackay Cutters in the Intrust Super Cup competition

A Sunshine Coast sporting talent has taken matters into his own hands to secure an Intrust Super Cup contract and move closer to his childhood rugby league dream. Here is how he did it.

Kawana rugby league talent Thomas Sly has taken another step closer to an NRL debut after taking matters into his own hands to secure an Intrust Super Cup Contract.

The Kawana Dolphins premiership winning fullback, who was voted Queensland’s best first grade rugby league player, only returned to rugby league earlier this year after a two-year hiatus.

Sly, 25, signed a one-year deal with the Mackay Cutters for the 2022 season after personally emailing a number of Intrust Super Cup clubs.

“I don’t have a player-manager or anything like that so I just emailed a bunch of clubs mentioning I wanted to further my game at the next level and attached some video clips,” he said.

“A few teams got back to me with train and trial contracts which is all I was really expecting but then David Elliott, who is the new Mackay Cutters coach, rang me up and offered me a contract for the 2022 season.

“I had a good chat with him about my style of play so I’m just going up there to give it a red-hot crack and hopefully carry over that attacking flair that I played with this season.”

Kawana Dolphins fullback Thomas Sly (left) was a major key to his teams grand final success in the 2021 season. Picture: R.J.Jarman

Sly finished in second place on this year's Sunshine Coast division one try scorers leaderboard with 17 and said he was proud of his performances this season.

“I feel like I had a good year and I feel as if I played to my strengths a lot as I didn't put as much pressure on myself,” he said.

The former Gold Coast Titans U20s player said it was a massive step closer to his childhood dream.

“To be quite honest when I was younger it was always a big goal of mine to play in the Queensland Cup competition,” Sly said.

“I walked away from that dream a few years ago but if I can get a couple of games in Queensland Cup then I would be able to have a beer at the end of the year and know that I’ve accomplished what I wanted to do.”

Sly thanked the Kawana Dolphins club, his teammates and head coach Andrew Hinson for their outgoing support.