Sunshine Coast star crowned Queensland’s best first-grade rugby league player

Queensland’s finest grassroots rugby league player has been crowned after 66 stars from across the state were nominated. See who was voted the Sunshine State’s best player.

After a two year hiatus from the code, Sunshine Coast talent Thomas Sly has returned with a vengeance to be crowned Queensland’s best A-grade player.

News Corp compiled a list of 66 of the best club footy players from Queensland’s major A-Grade competitions last week and opened it up for public vote to unearth the most regarded star by clubs, fans and the community.

Kawana Dolphins fullback Thomas Sly took out the title by some margin, polling 16 per cent, with next best Rockhampton Brothers second-rower Lachlan Campbell picking up seven per cent of the votes.

Taine Tuaupiki (Burleigh Bears, Gold Coast) and Josh McCarroll (Brothers, Ipswich) followed in a hotly-contested battle for third.

Check out the full statewide results of your local players.

Kawana Dolphins player Thomas Sly garnered the most votes in News Corp’s poll for Qld's best first grade rugby league player. Picture: Patrick Woods

Sly’s triumph is a remarkable feat after the 25-year-old only returned to the game following two years playing for rugby union clubs Bond Pirates and USC Barbarians in 2019 and 2020.

“I’ve been loving it (return) and playing centre/fullback has been awesome,” Sly said.

“I’m a league (player) at heart so I’ve been really loving it coming back and I’m just having a really good year.”

Sly, a former Gold Coast Titans U20s player, finished second on the Sunshine Coast division one’s try scoring list this year with 16 tries to his name.

“To be quite honest I’ve worked really hard in the off season and all the (Covid) breaks we’ve had,” he said.

“I’ve actually put a bit more time into getting fit and working out.”

He’s looking to cap a big year, with the Dolphins to hit the field in the Division 1 grand final against Maroochydore on Saturday at Sunshine Coast Stadium.

“I’m absolutely stoked (to be in the decider), I haven’t won a club grand final before, I’ve lost two, so I'm really keen to get one under the belt,” he said.

Kawana Dolphins player Thomas Sly garnered the most votes in News Corp’s poll for Qld‘s best first grade rugby league player. Picture: Patrick Woods

Sly was humbled to be voted among the state’s top players in the News Corp poll, which also featured players from each of the Sunshine Coast’s nine clubs among the 66-strong nominations.

“I didn’t even know I was nominated and my mate tagged me in the Facebook post and then my mum has gone crazy trying to get everyone to vote,” he said.

Along with a desire to have a “red-hot crack” at a Queensland Cup pre-season at a club in the future, Sly also looked to one day lace up alongside family.

His brother turns 17 next year and Sly was eager to maintain his form in the coming years in a bid to take on the best A-grade talents alongside his younger sibling.

“I want to play an A-grade game with him and then I could probably hang the boots up and say I've had an OK career,” he said.