The traditional playmaker’s strengths of game management and control – where Cleary remains king – are difficult to quantify, though Hughes has improved significantly in that facet of his game as well.
The introduction of the six-again rule in 2020 undoubtedly favours running playmakers, with the combined statistics also outlining just how dominant Manly star Tom Trbojevic was the following season.
But Hughes has also emerged as one of the game’s truly elite halfbacks, having originally been signed by Melbourne on a $140,000 deal in mid-2016, with the Tigers and Dragons declining the then-No.1 when he was offered to them.
Happy days: Jahrome Hughes, the accidental halfback.Credit: Getty Images
“Not as a halfback,” is how Storm football manager Frank Ponissi recalled Hughes’ signing eight years ago.
“When we recruited him, we weren’t sure if Munster was going to be a No. 1 [fullback] to replace Billy Slater. So Jahrome was looked at as being similar to Munster as either a fullback or a six. We thought one would be the fullback and one would be the six, we just didn’t know who would do what.”
“So I don’t know where the seven [halfback] came from.”
Neither does Hughes, who told this masthead recently that “a couple of my [junior] coaches wanted me to play in the halves and I was like ‘Nah, this is not for me’.”
Hughes and Melbourne’s last grand final appearance in 2020 came at the end of his first full season as an NRL half in a spine that featured Munster, Ryan Papenhuyzen and Cameron Smith.
“I had ‘Smithy’ there then so I didn’t have to do too much,” Hughes says. “I’ve grown to be more of a leader as we had some pretty good leaders back then, so I just had to jump on the back.
“Not much has changed. I just have a bit more experience and my body is a bit older and bit stronger.”
Hughes has been reluctant to talk up his form all season and still defers to Cleary as “the best player in the game”.
Munster and captain Harry Grant, though, are more than happy to heap praise on their No.7, who also leads every notable attacking statistic for the minor premiers this season.
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“He’s just taking the team to another level, and he’s showing 10-fold how good he is,” Munster says.
“He’s a differently developed half. He’s got a good kicking game and not many other halves, Nathan Cleary is probably the other one, who runs the ball as well as Hughesy.”
“He is such a great runner of the ball,” Grant adds. “Then he’s built his game on his kicking, his direction, his control and his leadership.
“As much as he’s a natural footy player, he’s worked extremely hard over the years to build his game. He’s probably just been overshadowed or unnoticed down here in Melbourne. It’s good to see he is getting some recognition.”