The 2023 Gold Coast rugby league players of the season revealed
Rugby League Gold Coast season 2023 has finished but the memories still remain fresh in the minds as clubs begin pre-season.
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Rugby League Gold Coast season 2023 has finished but the memories still remain fresh in the minds as clubs begin pre-season.
The Southport Tigers claimed the senior A grade premiership this year with the powerful side packed with some of the leagues best players.
With help from the head coaches, we reveal 25 of the best players across the grounds.
TOP PLAYERS OF 2023:
Helensvale Hornets
Cameron Newell – Front Rower
Cameron had a standout season this year on the back of a huge pre-season. He has a big motor and work rate which saw him get the Best & Fairest Award this year and tied for Players Player. He also loves defending in the middle and is a regular in the top tacklers every week.
Liam Clark – Second Rower
Liam is a powerful hard running back rower and a great line runner who’s game has gone to another level this season. As well as a quality footballer and he is also a quality young man and a real role model for our younger players in the squad to look up to.
Bailey Court – Hooker/Lock
Bailey is as much at home as a Hooker or Lock and is a skilful ball player who also loves defending in the middle and is always one of the top tacklers every game. He was part of Tweeds Host Plus Cup squad season but had to withdraw mid-season due to work commitments. Bailey is also a Hornets Junior Life Member.
Brent Barnes – Fullback/Centre
Brent is an excitement machine with the ball in hand and can certainly find the try line. He’s a big strong back that is very hard to stop when in full stride. Last season Brent made his Host Plus Cup debut for Tweed and has aspirations of playing up there again. Brent is also a long-term Hornets junior.
Campbell Pirihi – Half/Fullback
Campbell was the Captain of the Hornets this year and is a real competitor and skilful ball player who isn’t afraid to back himself. He is as much at home at either Half or Fullback and is always asking questions of the defence. Campbell was also selected as Halfback for the Gold Coast A Grade rep side this year.
Southport Tigers:
Piki Te Ora Rogers – Prop
Piki won Southport Tigers Player of the Year in 2023. The powerful prop was one of the key factors in the Tigers dominance towards the premiership in 2023.
Jaline Graham – Five-Eighth
Jaline won the Players-Player for Southport this season after a strong and consistent performance in the five-eight position while also showing his ability to support teammates on and off the field. He also won the best back award.
Blake Scott – Hooker
Blake won the Coaches Award for the Tigers this season after being one of the most consistent players throughout the season. Scott was described as a sponge with his ability to obsorb everything that was explained to him and become a stronger player as the year went on.
Jack Frasca – Wing
One of the strongest players in the group that helped them claim the premiership in 2023, Frasca won the most consistent award for the Tigers after playing 15 of the 17 games across the season including playing the two finals.
Tugun
Sam Meskell – Hooker
The ever consistent Meskell once again proved a lock down player in the middle for Tugun this year. Playing big minutes and accumulating tackle numbers that not many blokes can match at any level. He was once again (back to back) names the Gold Coast Rugby League’s Player of the Year!
Solomon Torrens – Lock
Sol was consistently one of Tugun’s best in the middle of the park. He is a mobile middle forward with great foot speed that troubled oppositions. Like Meskell he racked up big minutes and had a great work rate. He was named Tugun’s Best Forward for 2023.
Tim Wolens – Prop
The big powerhouse in the middle of the field hurt opposition players with and without the ball. His training regime is unmatched and it allows him to get the Tugun side rolling forward in the middle. I am excited to see what he can do in 2024 for the Blue and White!
Kyle Williams – Fullback
This fleet footed fullback was new to Tugun in 2023. It took him a while to build combinations with his new teammates but by the end of the year was one of the most damaging attacking players in the competition regularly beating defenders to score long range tries!
Will Johnstone – Halfback
Made the switch to Halfback in 2023 and breathed new life into the old legs! He improved with every outing and finished the season as Tugun’s leading tryscorer and Best Back!
Currumbin Eagles
Tyler Creecy – Hooker
Tough as nails hooker, concreter by trade. Strong, fast and fit. Tyler is a very important player to our team, he plays 80 mins and gives great service from sunny half while also being a running threat himself.
He is always at the top of our tackle count and going as strong in the 70th minute as he is in the 1st
Jarrod Gill – Prop
Another from our engine room who gets through huge minutes and a massive workload. Gilly is one of the most respected players in the RLGC A Grade competition. He is our captain and leads from the front, showing the young fellas the way
Noah Croudace – Centre
Turned up to pre-season last year hoping for a crack and trained the house down and hasn’t looked back. Fast, agile and energetic centre who loves the hard work and often seems to find a way through when nothing is on. Noah’s game is ever improving and evolving, and being so young, we hope he will be a threat to opposition teams for years to come.
Michael Burgess – Halfback
Burgo retired at the end of 2022 and we worked very hard to get him to reverse that decision and play for the Eagles. We knew he had what we needed, both on and off the field. He is an amazing footballer and an equally rated clubman. He sees things before most and can control the game unlike many in the RLGC A Grade competition.
Lachlan Smith – Fullback
I know when opposition teams are doing their tip sheets on the Eagles, Lachie is always one of the first names mentioned. His ability to attack from anywhere and create something from nothing makes him one of the most dangerous attacking weapons in the competition. His game elevated in 2023 due to a tough off-season and reinvigoration for the game.
Kalin Ropata – Second Row
This is Kalin’s second stint with the Eagles after he tried his hand in the BRL last season. His game had certainly matured while he was away and he returned as one of the finest edge forwards in SE QLD. The tougher the situation the more Kalin shines, he loves to run a hard line off his half and has an uncompromising approach to his defence.
Burleigh Bears
Toby McIntosh – Fullback
Great team/club man who played both A Grade & Host Plus Cup. Very reliable and consistent. Toby was rewarded with winning the clubs Sportsperson of the Year.
Jordan Scott – Hooker
Great team/club man. Great leader of the A Grade team and you know what Jordy is going to give you every week. Jordy was rewarded with winning the A Grades Best & Fairest.
Tom Eveleigh – Second Row
Only joined the Bears this year playing much of the year in A Grade and debuted in Host Plus Cup and did a fantastic job. He was rewarded with winning A Grade Players Player.
Jake Gleeson – Second Row
Great team/club man that turns up every week and does his job. He produces strong performances every week.
Dante Lusio – Winger
Talented winger that does a lot of tough work out of the back field. Play majority of the year in A Grade but was called upon to play Host Plus Cup late in the year and did a fantastic job.
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