NRL – Jahrome Hughes: The path to consecration – Rugby League

Jahrome Hughes won the Dally M Medal, a few days before his real fight of the season, defeating the Penrith Panthers in the NRL Grand Final. But his path was not so simple.

This season, the New Zealand Storm scrum-half guided Melbourne wonderfully to their fifth Minor Premiership in nine years, rewarding the team finishing as leader in the regular season. Delivering 26 assists, scoring 12 tries, he also put his teammates in the gaps 26 times in 22 matches. He was therefore the most influential player on the best team of the season, missing many key players including Cameron Munster (9 missed matches), Xavier Coates (10 missed matches) and Ryan Papenhuyzen (6 missed matches).

The path

Before this season, not many people would have bet on him being so strong. As a teenager, he moved to the Gold Coast and earned a contract with the Titans at fullback. At 17, he made his NRL debut against the Panthers. But despite a heavy defeat, he showed good things. For three years, that will be it. He will sign a contract in 2014 with the North Queensland Cowboys’ reserve team, the Blackhawks.

He finished best back in the Queensland Cup and obtained a one-year contract with the Cowboys. In 2016, with Johnathan Thurston absent, Jahrome Hughes was called to replace him, 1058 days after his big debut. But this time, it’s at the halfback position. He scored his first try there against the Dragons, for another defeat.

The Cowboys did not recall him, but a month later, Melbourne, who saw something in him, signed him in 2017. That year, the Storm was full of talent at the back, with Billy Slater and Scott Drinkwater. While at point guard, there were Cooper Cronk, Cameron Munster and Brodie Croft. The Storm had clearly recovered Jahrome Hughes to play fullback. With an aging Slater, the plan was for him to take over. For his big debut with the Storm, he scored another try in a defeat against the Roosters. He will play 15 games in 2 seasons, before taking full power in 2019.

Whenever he was called up to replace Billy Slater at the back, the tactician always found him very interesting, and therefore wanted to keep him in the team. But with the emergence of Ryan Papenhuyzen at full-back following the retirement of Billy Slater, Jahrome Hughes is positioned at scrum-half. He had almost never played in this position, but Craig Bellamy reassured him and told him not to change his game despite this transition.

The following season, with the New Zealand player installed as leader, Melbourne reached the grand final, and became champion against the Panthers.

2024: the takeover

At the start of the 2024 season, if we asked observers their ranking of the best halfbacks in the championship, Hughes would have been fifth or sixth, probably.

Having the reputation of being the best “half runner”, Jahrome Hughes will have shown this season that he does not only have this cap. He worked a lot on his leadership game to put the whole team in place, finishing as the second best player in terms of assists this year. And his main quality as a runner has not weakened, with numerous broken lines, 6 more than the other half in front of him.

His performances this season led him to the title of best player of the season. Jahrome Hughes has therefore become one of the most complete players in his position, in running, control and kicking. He is the best player on the best team in the championship.

But this Sunday, we will have to achieve a title against the three-time defending champion, the Penrith Panthers.

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