The 2018 NRL season is well and truly finished and we can look back on the season and see exactly who performed and who did not. These players were the best signings made for the 2018 season.
Perhaps the most underrated signing of 2018, Blake Green was the Warriors' unsung hero in what was their best season in many years. Green is an excellent game manager; a role which the Warriors have needed for some time.
Matt Moylan is one of the NRL’s most dynamic playmakers and is quickly improving at five-eighth. The Sharks may have lost a great player in James Maloney but they will hope that the already good Moylan can become a great at the club.
James Graham is one of the toughest and most determined players in the NRL and the Dragons were lucky enough to be able to sign him for 2018. Graham quickly became one of the leaders among his new playing group and as a result the Dragons reached their first finals series in many years.
Much like Jarrod Wallace in 2017, the Titans signed Jai Arrow from the Broncos and benefitted hugely. Arrow established himself as one of the best middle forwards in the NRL in 2018 with a number of massive performances, earning himself a Queensland call-up.
Tohu Harris showed the NRL community that he is one of the best forwards in the competition with his strong defence and dynamic attack. The former Storm second rower continued to improve at the Warriors and became one of the team's most vital members.
As a premiership winner and the former Australian and Queensland halfback, Cooper Cronk was always going to be a huge boost for the club that managed to sign him. Cronk delivered the Roosters a minor premiership and a premiership in his first year with the club proving that he was an excellent buy. He would be ranked even higher if he was signed on for longer.
Despite spending a fair amount of time on the sideline in 2018, Mitchell Pearce proved that he was an excellent purchase for the Knights. The former Roosters halfback clearly had a big influence on his new team and may have led them to the finals in he was not injured so severely.
The Panthers benefitted massively when they acquired James Maloney, one of the New South Wales halves and potentially one of the Australia halves if not for injury. Despite a few poor performances Maloney has shown his value and has become one of the Panthers most vital players.
While he had a slow start to the year, James Tedesco eventually showed what an incredible player he can be for the Roosters. Tedesco showed glimpses of being a top player at the Tigers but he has gone to another level since joining the Roosters, and rightfully earned the Australian number one jersey.
Kalyn Ponga showed everyone that he has the potential to be one of the best players in the NRL in a few years and is already a great talent. Ponga came close to winning the Dally M medal in his first full year in the NRL and, alongside Mitchell Pearce, could make the Knights one of the competitions top teams.