Every once in a while, a rugby league club makes a signing that shifts the balance of the entire NRL. Whether that leads to a premiership, a Dally M medal, or simply an inch closer to the finals, an elite talent can alter the fabric of an NRL franchise.
While not every club has had a premiership-winning acquisition in the last decade, here are the best signings of the last decade for every team.
The young superstar who took social media by storm, Reece Walsh, is the poster boy for the NRL.
Since signing with the Brisbane Broncos in 2023 from the New Zealand Warriors, Walsh has been solidified as an out-and-out rugby league savvant, nabbing the Queensland Maroons jersey and cementing himself as the star of the future at Red Hill.
While the Broncos have secured the services of plenty of elite talent in the last decade, including Adam Reynolds, Ben Hunt, and Darius Boyd, none is more fruitful than locking in Walsh.
At just 22 years of age, Walsh has elevated the Broncos to premiership contention.
His elite ball-playing, mesmerising speed, and silky attack have moulded the Broncos' playstyle. Walsh looks set to be a Bronco for life, ensuring Brisbane's relevance for the next decade.
Joe Tapine is one of the best props in the game. As he heads into his tenth season with the Canberra Raiders and his first as their captain, the 30-year-old is the club's most impactful signing in the last decade and definitely their best.
Signing to the Green Machine back in 2016, the former Newcastle Knights forward was relatively unproven, having only played 20 NRL games.
Fast forward nine years, and not only is Tapine a mainstay in this Raiders pack, he is a New Zealand international and a three-time Meninga Medal recipient.
The damaging prop's resilient playstyle and damaging ball running are only matched by his inspirational leadership, qualities that earned him the captaincy title in 2025.
The lethal prop is the heart and soul of this Raiders squad, earning him the compliment of being the club's best signing of the last 10 years.
It's difficult to single out an individual who has made as much of an impact on their club in their first year as Stephen Crichton at the Bulldogs. Crichton may very well end up being the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs' best signing of all time, let alone the last decade.
Joining the Blue and White ranks in 2024, Crichton immediately had an impact on the Bulldogs.
His impenetrable defence and big-game moments had him heralded as the best centre in the world, but it was his leadership that drove Canterbury to their first finals appearance in eight years.
Speaking on Crichton's influence to nrl.com.au, Bronson Xerri said, “Critta has been massive, not just for myself, but the whole team... I think we are all blessed to have Critta at this club."
Crichton still has plenty of work to do to restore the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs to their former glory, but after just one season, 'Critta' is already the club's best signing in well over a decade.
The first million-dollar man in Cronulla Sharks history, Hynes was pegged as the next legend to bring a premiership to the Shire.
While critics and fans have hammered Hynes since his Dally M-winning season, there is no doubt the star halfback is the best talent the Sharks have signed in a while.
A late bloomer, Hynes made his way to Cronulla as a 26-year-old after playing fullback for the Melbourne Storm the year prior.
In his first year at his new club, and now playing halfback, he won the Dally M medal, racking up a record-breaking amount of points.
His footy IQ and natural ball-running made him an elite NRL half, elevating the Sharks to finals contention.
He has made the Cronulla-based club relevant once again, and if he can bring a premiership to them by the time he retires, he may be the best signing in Sharks history.
While many thought that David Fifita would be the Gold Coast Titans' best signing in years, it was the mammoth prop, Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, who proved to be the greater pickup.
Otherworldly size, a seemingly endless motor, and undeniable courage. These are the qualities that landed Fa'asuamaleaui a starting spot for Queensland, Australia, and the captaincy for the Titans.
While Fa'asuamaleaui's side hasn't experienced a heap of success since he arrived, fans noticed a culture shift as soon as he donned the Titans logo.
The 25-year-old is set on bringing a premiership to the Gold Coast, which is why he agreed to stay at the club on an enormous 10-year contract.
The Titans haven't enjoyed much success in the last decade, but with Fa'asuamaleaui at the helm steering the ship, the Origin forward may cement himself as the best Titan of all time when it's all said and done.
An underrated player of the last decade, Reuben Garrick has been a pivotal piece in the Manly Sea Eagles' attack since his debut in 2019. Having scored 1164 points in five years, the 27-year-old has solidified himself as one of the elite point-scorers in the NRL.
Joining the club from the St George Illawarra Dragons, Garrick grew to become one of the best outside backs in the NRL.
He has plugged holes for the Sea Eagles since his arrival, filling in at wing, centre, and fullback.
His elite versatility has earned him a permanent spot in this Manly backline, regardless of who is playing alongside him.
His pinpoint accurate goal-kicking and acrobatic finishing ability have won his squad many games in the past, skills that some outside backs take years to master.
Garrick plays his role perfectly, and in a side full of stars, he has been the perfect addition to round out the squad.
Reigning Dally M and Halfback of the Year winner Jahrome Hughes's impact when he initially signed to the Melbourne Storm could not have been predicted.
Playing for a club that was home to Cooper Cronk for close to two decades, Hughes's ability to thrive in the No. 7 jersey has been nothing short of amazing.
Hughes was no halfback when he joined the Storm, but after legendary coach Craig Bellamy threw him into the halves, the former North Queensland Cowboys fullback became an elite NRL halfback.
After joining the club in 2017, Hughes went on to win an NRL premiership in 2020 and a Dally M medal in 2024.
Currently at the peak of his powers, not even Bellamy thought the New Zealand international would become as good as he did.
After losing the big three of Cameron Smith, Billy Slater, and Cooper Cronk, Hughes has been the main contributor to the Storm's continued success.
The biggest superstar to don the Newcastle Knights jumper since Andrew Johns, the signing of Kalyn Ponga was monumental.
His off-field buzz and his on-field heroics made him a pivotal piece to the Knights' premiership aspirations, and while they aren't there yet, the 26-year-old's influence has been felt since day one.
Joining the club in 2018 from the North Queensland Cowboys, Ponga cemented his role as an all-star level fullback.
Starring for both Queensland and Māori, Ponga's silky attack and cool-headed leadership left the rest of the competition on notice.
These impressive qualities also scored the Knights skipper a Dally M win in 2023, a season where the young fullback showcased his elite rugby league potential, finally coming to fruition.
He is already one of the most impactful Newcastle Knights players of all time, and if management can put a consistent footy side around him, he could be one of the best in the club's history.
Perhaps one of the most underrated players of all time, Tohu Harris is, without a doubt, the Warriors' best get in the last 10 years.
The New Zealand Warriors have always struggled to attract talent, with the proud club being the sole non-Australian side in the NRL. That is why bringing on a premiership-winning-caliber player in Harris was so significant.
The versatile forward joined the club as a second-rower but soon became one of the best locks in the competition. While his ball-playing and defence were elite, it was his leadership and no-nonsense attitude that landed Harris the club's captaincy and a spot on this list.
The now-retired Warrior has cemented himself as one of the greatest in the club's history, battling through every niggling injury and on-field obstacle that came his way, proving his loyalty and love to this New Zealand squad.
What could be one of the best signings in club history, Tom Dearden is the heart and soul of the North Queensland Cowboys.
The Cowboys co-captain has grown tremendously throughout his young career, with the 23-year-old growing into one of the most lethal players in the NRL. Having already received representative honours for both Queensland and Australia, Dearden is showcasing an upward trajectory similar to that of an NRL legend.
While the Cowboys have been wildly inconsistent throughout Dearden's tenure, any strokes of brilliance the side has produced have all come off the back of the five-eighth's excellence.
Dearden's natural talent is only rivalled by his tremendous footy IQ and inspiring leadership, traits that landed him the nod for captaincy that made him the youngest skipper in the North Queensland Cowboys' history.
One of the best halfback of his generation, Mitchell Moses was a huge signing for the Parramatta Eels in 2017.
While Moses's ability to lead a side around the park was often doubted at the start of his Eels tenure, the now-captain has proven just how essential he can be to the success of a side on every level.
Shining for the Eels, the New South Wales Blues, and both Lebanon and Australia, it's no wonder Jason Ryles' first order of business was to hand Moses the club captaincy.
He willed his side to the NRL grand final in 2022, a feat that hadn't been reached by the club in 13 years. While Moses had fallen short in that match, Eels fans know that the side would have gotten a whiff of the finals, if not for the Lebanon captain's heroics.
Moses has been a boon for the Eels since his arrival, sticking by the side in their dark times and their good times.
It is rare to find a talent as loyal as him, but after recently inking a huge deal to keep him at the club until he retires, Moses has cemented himself as the most important signings for Parramatta in recent history.
It's hard to remember a time when the Penrith Panthers weren't a powerhouse with Nathan Cleary leading the charge.
However, when James Maloney joined the club back in 2018, the Western-Sydney club was not in the best shape, and it could be argued they wouldn't have gotten much better if not for Maloney's arrival.
Maloney is a rugby league legend, with a decade-long NRL career that saw the elite half succeed at every level of the game. While his success is to be commended, his place on this list spans far beyond accolades.
Maloney was integral to Nathan Cleary's growth as an elite halfback. At the time, Cleary was relatively unproven, but with the help of the two-time premiership winning half, the young prodigy fulfilled, and perhaps exceeded, his potential.
When he joined the Panthers, the club didn't have the championship DNA it has now.
However, after bringing his premiership-winning pedigree to the club and taking the young guys under his wing, the club was in a much better position to succeed by the time Maloney had departed to the Super League.
Playing 207 games for the Green and Red, Damien Cook cemented himself as a South Sydney Rabbitohs legend in his eight-year tenure with the club.
It is rare to find a player who is as consistent as Cook. His workload was tremendous during his time with the Rabbitohs, with the agile hooker often playing 80 minutes a game.
Cook's speed and athleticism were a major spark for the Rabbitohs' attack, often creating something from nothing when he ran from dummy-half.
He rounded out to become the perfect hooker, providing all the attributes his side needed to stay competitive throughout his Souths career.
While never acknowledged as an official captain of the club, Cook brought an air of leadership that his side often needed.
His reliability in the defensive line was severely underrated, with the motor of a raging bull that kept him performing at an elite level every week.
Cook has since departed the club, but it could be argued that in a side with many changes over the last decade, the Blues and Australia hooker was the anchor the Rabbitohs needed.
You don't often see a player become the most talented yet most disliked player at a club, but that is exactly what unfolded for Ben Hunt at the Dragons.
Captaining the St. George Illawarra Dragons for four years, Hunt was the only thing keeping his side afloat.
After leading the club to its first finals appearance in years in 2018, the Dragons saw very little success in the following years. They did, however, seem to attract talent over the years, no doubt due to the brilliance of Ben Hunt.
The now-Brisbane Bronco shouldered the load for his side throughout his seven-year tenure, making the successful transition from hooker to halfback upon arriving at the club.
While the last few years of his time at the Red V involved a lot of criticisms and negative press from both parties, Hunt is still the club's best talent of the last decade by far.
While it is tough to separate James Tedesco and Cooper Cronk for this pick, the six-time Roosters Player of the Year recipient has been one of the greatest pickups for any club in the last 10 years.
After joining the Sydney Roosters in 2018, Tedesco cemented himself as one of the greatest fullbacks of all time.
The Roosters skipper has won back-to-back premierships with the club, and has also received a Dally M medal during his tenure as well.
Captaining his club, his state, and his country, 'Teddy' has had a prime unlike many other players in NRL history.
His damaging ball-running and elite tackle-breaking ability has made him a threat to defences for years, and after coming second in Dally M voting just last year, the 32-year-old is as lethal as ever.
Playing for a club as historically great as the Sydney Roosters is a tough task for any star, but Tedesco has shown his willingness to compete every night since donning the Tri Colours jersey in 2018.
Entering just their third season in the NRL, the Dolphins haven't had much opportunity to establish a best signing.
However, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow has been a monumental figure since joining the club in 2023, solidifying himself as the club's best signing so far.
Unwanted at the North Queensland Cowboys, Tabuai-Fidow joined the Dolphins, seeking a fresh start.
While many doubted how much of an impact the young fullback could really make on a rebuilding side, 'The Hammer' has shouldered his side's attack since their first NRL game.
He is only entering his third season at Redcliffe, but after cementing himself in both the Queensland and Australia sides, the 23-year-old try-scoring machine looks set to be the fullback of the future for the Dolphins.
Jarome Luai's arrival to the Wests Tigers signalled a changing of the guard for the club.
A side that can be described as nothing but a disappointment for the last decade or so, the acquisition of Luai provided Tigers fans with a glimmer of hope for better days.
The four-time premiership half joins the side this year with a point to prove. Known as one of the most polarising players in NRL history, Luai has joined the Tigers to showcase his ability as the go-to guy for a struggling side.
His arrival is a boon for Benji Marshall and this Tigers side, which has lacked any sense of character or improvement for quite some time.
While every player on this list has had to prove themselves in one way or another to be considered as their clubs' best signing, the sheer fact that the Tigers were able to acquire a talent such as Luai is a victory in itself.