Top 20 greatest ever Sunshine Coast Falcons, Sea Eagles players

The fan votes are in for the Sunshine Coast’s greatest ever Falcon or Sea Eagle in the club’s 318-game history. See who made the top 20.

Sunshine Coast Falcons players Jye Ballinger, Jack Gibbons, Nicho Hynes and James Ackerman.

After a mammoth fan vote in the search to find the greatest ever Sunshine Coast Falcons or Sea Eagles player, second rower Jack Gibbons has come out on top.

The Sunshine Coast Daily compiled the names and matches played of the 320 players to have represented the club in its 318-game lifespan.

Many have gone on to earn NRL contracts with Nicho Hynes, Harry Grant and Ryan Papenhuyzen also finishing within the top 20.

Gibbons was crowned best of the best, polling 10.7 per cent, with Jye Ballinger 8.9 per cent and James Ackerman 7.14 per cent completing the top three.

Sunshine Coast Falcons player Jack Gibbons in action. Picture: Instagram

The 25-year-old said he was humbled and undeserving to be voted among the club’s top players.

“It’s hard to explain and accept because it is only my first year with the club and I know there’s been some serious players that have come before me,” he said.

“Even some of the boys that I’m playing with this year like Luke Polselli, Daniel Atkinson, Tyson Smoothy and heaps more they’re all unreal players to play with and then guys like Todd Murphy, Dane Hogan and Marty Cordwell who have come before me have all really done the jersey proud.

“I don’t want to sound like a tool or anything like that because I really feel undeserving considering the calibre of players that have come through the club but I am so grateful and to be even mentioned in the same league as them is unreal and something very special.”

Sunshine Coast Falcons player Jack Gibbons punches the air with his teammates.

The personal trainer and gym owner said he had been playing rugby league since he was five-years-old.

“I saw the poll and had one mate tag me in it going ‘surely you get it’ as a joke and I don’t like to jump on the back of it so I didn’t push it or anything like that because I don’t want to be chasing accolades,” he said.

Gibbons, who played his junior footy with St Joseph's and St George Dragons junior rugby league club, headed north in 2021 to play for the Central Queensland Capras before joining the Falcons in 2022.

Gibbons recorded 18 appearances and seven tries in the 2022 season.

“It’s probably the best year of footy I’ve had as an adult, my two years at the Capras were buggered by Covid-19 and injuries such as a shoulder reconstruction and a few knee operations so I was just stoked to come down and get a consistent season under my belt,” he said.

“I was incredibly proud of how I played this year and honestly just really lucky and incredibly stoked to be playing footy again.”

Sunshine Coast Falcons player Jack Gibbons celebrates.

Gibbons was rewarded with a train and trial pre-season camp with the Melbourne Storm.

“I’ll be at the Falcons next year but I’m also going down to Melbourne for a train and trial before Christmas,” he said.

“That’s a childhood dream come true, as a kid I always wanted to be involved with the professionals so to even have my foot in the door with this opportunity is unbelievable and something I never thought would happen.”

See the full list of players that have been voted by you as the Sunshine Coast’s best and have your final say below.

Honourable mentions go to Rohan Messer, Cory Parker, Paul Marshall, Brenton Stonier, Chris Lewis and Kaleb Sutton.

Originally published as Top 20 greatest ever Sunshine Coast Falcons, Sea Eagles players