For the purpose of this list we've only named players known primarily as halfbacks. For instance we know Shaun Johnson is an excellent halfback when called upon but is very much known as a six.

3. Jahrome Hughes

There's every chance I have overreacted here to the 2020 season put forward by the Storm star, but I have no regrets in the world putting him in the top three halfbacks. He was absolutely ridiculous in 2020 and is now the most sought after half in the game.

Across his 19 appearances for the Premiers he crossed for seven tries, set up 15, made eight line breaks, made 52 tackle breaks and ran for 75 metres per game.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 12: Jahrome Hughes of the Storm is tackled during the round 22 NRL match between the Melbourne Storm and the Cronulla Sharks at AAMI Park on August 12, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)

His partnership with Cameron Munster was a thing of beauty. The way he directed his troops in the Grand Final showed that he is ready to step up to the leadership role vacated by Cameron Smith.

Hughes's best footy is still ahead of him. The Storm will do everything they can to ensure he re-signs.

5 COMMENTS

  2. With every good halfback, there needs to be a good 5/8th ,to take some pressure off of their halves partner. It also needs to be the right one. Cleary didn’t look so good playing alongside Maloney. Where as NSW was better with Maloney there?
    As good as Cleary may have been in 2020. NSW didn’t win the S.O.O. & Penrith didn’t win the Grand Final. What can we take from that?
    D.C.E. Inspired a S.O.O. series win for Queensland.
    Hughes inspired grand final win for Melbourne.
    Or were both wins just because of Munster at 5/8th?
    I thought Luai was great for Penrith for most of the season, at 5/8th.
    So was there something lacking with Cleary in the biggest of games? He didn’t
    Inspire a Win.

  4. If Wighton has another start of season anywhere close to his form last year, he will be the 6 for the SOO, not Walker. Walker had an amazing game 2, but so did the whole team. In the last 10 minutes if game 3 when Cody got injured and Wighton was shifted…Wighten looked dangerous every time he had the ball. I think Turbo will be back in the side, with another specialist centre, maybe Staggs or Crighton. Which will shift Wighton to partner Cleary in the halves.