No.16-13: Coast’s 20 best league players of 2018

IT’S been a rugby league season to savour for many Gold Coast players. Every day this week the Bulletin counts down the 20 best performers on the Gold Coast across all levels of the game. We look at numbers 16-13.

IT’S been a rugby league season to savour for many Gold Coast players.

Every day this week the Bulletin counts down the 20 best performers on the Gold Coast across all levels of the game. Today we look at numbers 16-13.

16. Phil Ramage (Currumbin Eagles)

Phil Ramage (right) with Currumbin coach Ryan Gundry. Picture: Mike Batterham

The veteran halfback returned from the Whitsundays to spearhead his junior club and did so with great effect. Though they ultimately missed out on the title, Ramage’s game management, leadership and goal-kicking were pivotal to Currumbin’s upturn in form that netted them the minor premiership.

15. Brayden McGrady (Tweed Heads Seagulls)

Brayden McGrady.

Talk about a breakthrough year. McGrady exploded onto the scene to be the talk of Piggabeen when he scored 12 tries in his first seven games. Unfortunately his eighth match lasted only nine minutes as he suffered a season-ending knee injury – but not before making his mark and earning a Penrith Panthers contract from 2019.

14. Jimmy Poland (Runaway Bay Seagulls)

Runaway Bay five-eighth Jimmy Poland ahead of his side's semi-final against Tweed Heads on Sunday. This time last year he was in jail - without which Bay believe they would have won the premiership. He's got the chance to prove them right now.Photo by Richard Gosling

Great redemption story. Poland has had a chequered past but is trying to turn his life around off the field with his work for the Australian Anti Ice Campaign; on the field he made up for missing last year’s grand final by bringing the calm playmaking presence Runaway Bay needed. Capped his season by winning man of the match in the Rugby League Gold Coast decider.

13. Moeaki Fotuaika (Gold Coast Titans)

Moeaki Fotuaika of the Titans.

An 18-year-old playing front-row in the NRL is not an everyday sight but Fotuaika did it without fuss, easily holding a place in Gold Coast’s top 17. The Keebra Park product carried the ball strongly to provide excellent impact off the bench across 16 games. His efforts did not go unnoticed, earning call-ups to the Tongan international squad.