Loyalty over money: Hughes makes surprise call to stay with Storm

Melbourne Storm have unexpectedly retained premiership half-back Jahrome Hughes on a three-year deal.

The 26-year old New Zealand national joined the Storm from the Queensland Cup for the 2017 season as a reserve full-back, but has developed into one of the game’s most dangerous half-backs since being thrown into the role in 2019.

Jahrome Hughes is staying with the Storm.Credit:Getty

Last year Hughes tied with Cameron Smith and Ryan Papenhuyzen for try assists – they had 15 each – and he added seven tries of his own. He attracted multiple offers from the NZ Warriors thanks to his good form, with media reports claiming he was offered $900,000 a season.

Storm sources say his three-year deal with the club is worth well below that figure, with Hughes deciding success with the Storm superseded a higher wage with the rebuilding Warriors.

The Storm have filled their spine positions for this season and next, with half-back Hughes (end of 2024), hooker Harry Grant (option 2023), five-eighth Cameron Munster (end of 2023) and full-back Papenhuyzen (end of 2022) all contracted.

Hughes overcame a rocky start as the team’s half-back after others struggled to fill the void left by superstar Cooper Cronk following the 2017 premiership win.

Hughes brought exceptional tackling to the position after his years as a full-back while his naturally elusive running style and use of dummy passes helped him become a significant threat when running at the defensive line.

“He came to us after playing just four NRL in two seasons, but he has worked extremely hard on his game, with the assistance of our coaching staff, and fully deserves the rewards which have come his way,” Storm football director Frank Ponissi said.

“His switch from full-back to half-back has proved to be an outstanding success and we expect there is still plenty of improvement ahead of him.

“We have also included Jahrome in our emerging leadership group in the past two seasons, which is another indication of how highly regarded he is here at Storm.”

Hughes’ decision to stay means he will be able to enter the new season with a clear head when the Storm kick off the NRL season against the Rabbitohs at AAMI Park next Thursday night

Now attention will turn to whether the Storm can convince utility forward Brandon Smith to remain with the club.

Smith is under contract for 2022 but looks likely to be stuck behind Grant in his favoured position at hooker, which led Smith to ask for permission to speak to other clubs about moving to a team that would start him in that role.

The hugely popular Smith has been an invaluable player for the Storm in recent seasons, starting or coming off the bench in several different forward roles, and he is expected to start the season at hooker in the NRL season opener with Grant recovering from injury.

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