By Tim Mosey

The 2018 QLD Premier season is well under way and after 6 rounds, we decided to take a look at the top ten recruits of the competition so far this year.

10) Liam Moseley – Wests

The former Nudgee College standoff has returned to Brisbane after a fling with Vikings in Canberra.

The statuesque No.10 has a raking kicking game and his physique enables him the comfort of being a less likely target for opposition forward runners.

If Moseley can continue to improve his third and fourth phase work rate and organisation, the Doggies can go deep into the post season.

9) Savenaca Totovosau – East

The elusive winger has scored five tries in five matches this year and his size, speed and deceptiveness will keep plenty of opposition wingers sleepless throughout 2018.

The competition has some exciting outside back talent and Totovosau has quickly become one of the best.

8) Jaye Thompson – GPS

The Southland ITM Cup player forms an intoxicating combination of strength and pace with his partner in crime, fullback Albert Nikoro.

The pair have been eye catching so far this year with their incisive running and reliable defence.

GPS have the necessary up front bulk and power to provide Thompson with dominant, hasty ball.

GPS will be tough to beat come the end of the season.

7) Keeghan Sefton – Easts

The former Tigers junior shifted to Souths after Colts and Sefton’s move back to Bottomley Park has been welcomed by head coach Anthony Connellan.

Sefton offers East a valuable goal kicking option and his wide running guile will be effective, particularly when inside backs such as skipper Matt Gordon can provide him with forward momentum at the gain line.

The sharpshooter is in a ding-dong battle with University’s James Dalgleish for the leading point scorer so far.

6) Nick Jooste – Norths

Norths will be banking on their star No.10 creating plenty of attacking opportunities this season.

Jooste’s kicking game both out of hand and at the posts will be crucial if the Eagles want to push into the finals for the first time this decade.

He is best known for his YouTube goal kicking clips but the young journeyman will be keen to make a name for himself on the field as the season progresses.

5) Emori Waqavulagi – Souths

The dangerously talented wing three quarter has been the main beneficiary of Souths’ expansive attack in 2018.

Waqavulagi has quite an interesting past.

The former Sri Lankan 7’s star was selected for Fiji back in 2015 but was excluded when then coach Ben Ryan discovered his ineligibility. His arrival in Brisbane saw QLD 7’s coaches Cassidy Holland and former Australian 7’s ace Chris Garrard quickly select the Fijian in their squad. He proved a hit scoring the winning try for QLD Red against QLD White in the National 7’s competition.

Souths will enjoy his flair this season.

4) Salesi Manu and Eddie Aholelei – Bond University

Manu and Aholelei form 2/3 of Bond University’s formidable front row.

Both have overseas and Super Rugby playing experience with Western Force and Melbourne Rebels respectively. Bond head coach Grant Anderson – himself a toiling, capped Reds front row forward – will be hoping his scrum pillars can stay injury free and have a big impact later this year.

3) Moses Sorovi – Wests

The young Reds contracted halfback has been a welcome addition to the Doggies and coach Pat Byron now has the luxury of having two strong first grade halfbacks to select from.

First choice from 2017, Liam Dillon forms the second part of a deadly pairing which sees him slot straight in when Sorovi is on Reds representative duty.

Already Sorovi has showed his value with his speed of service and width of pass.

2) Albert Nikoro – GPS

The Samoan international fullback has proven to be a handful for opposition defences so far this season.

His arrival at the Gallopers comes off the back of previous New Zealand ITM Cup experience with Auckland, Tasman and Waikato coupled with Super Rugby experience at the Blues and Western Force.

Nikoro’s ability to read attack, particularly in the thirteen channel, will have coach Anthony Mathison excited for the back end of the season.

1) Quade Cooper – Souths

The 70 Test Wallaby has been a fairly handy inclusion for Souths. Cooper’s ability to manipulate opposition defences and accurately select runners in space has been pivotal to the Magpies efforts so far this year.

He also draws a crowd.

Hopefully his hamstring won’t keep him off the field for too much longer, for both the competition and Souths’ sake.

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Heading into round seven, the 2018 QLD Premier Rugby competition is still wide open and this list exciting recruits is testament to the strength of QLD’s top rugby competition.

Interestingly though, no player listed above has ever won a premiership with their current club. They, along with their teammates, will be hoping to remedy this come August.​