Daly Cherry-Evans is 35. Adam Reynolds 33. Ditto Ben Hunt. Where are all the young playmakers?

It was not lost on Ben Hunt that Manly captain Daly Cherry-Evans, 35, and 33-year-old Broncos counterpart Adam Reynolds would be two of the main attractions in Sunday’s historic season-opening double-header in Las Vegas.

It was also not lost on Hunt that one of the biggest threats awaiting his St George Illawarra Dragons next weekend would be Gold Coast Titans five-eighth Kieran Foran, also 33.

For the record, Hunt also knew had the stars aligned six months ago, he would have been running out for the Titans – not the Dragons.

The Tom Bradys of the NRL dominated last season – now Hunt is convinced the ageing rugby league halfback fraternity might all be tempted to keep playing a little longer, a la Brady, the seven-time Super Bowl champion quarterback who retired at 45.

“There will be a couple of old heads going at it next week,” said Dragons skipper Hunt, in reference to the duel with Foran.

“You’ve got Cherry, Reyno, Shaun Johnson [who is 33], it takes a lot to play one NRL game, let alone play into your 30s.

Ben Hunt knows there are plenty of thirty-something playmakers still at the top of their game

“I’ll be 34 later this month. For me, the game has a got a bit slower, and I’ve become more patient.

“You come in as a young guy, and you want everything now. When you get older, you can sit back and watch the game more, and know when to take your opportunities.

“Adam Reynolds is the prime example – look at him up at the Broncos, he picks and chooses when to insert himself, when he wants the ball and when to kick.

“Those guys who have had long careers have gone from that energetic kid who wants to be in everything to managing the game and sitting back and letting things go.”

Hunt is signed until the end of next year, as are Cherry-Evans and Reynolds. That pair have not entirely ruled out playing on in 2026 – Foran is another keen to play on – while Hunt knows experienced playmakers will be in serious demand.

“I’ve been lucky with injuries, my body feels good, and as long as I’m healthy and fit I’d love to keep playing,” Hunt told this masthead.

“To be honest, there aren’t a heap of young guys coming through. There’s not an influx of them. I can’t put my finger on it. It’s the same with hookers. There are probably only four to five genuine hookers in the game, while the rest have been moulded into hookers.”

The Broncos confirmed Reynolds’ one-year extension for 2025, with the halfback telling this masthead he had read about NBA superstar LeBron James and the methods that worked for him the deeper he got into his career, including using saunas and ice baths.

At 26, Nathan Cleary is arguably the best halfback in the competition, Melbourne’s Cameron Munster is 29, Wests Tigers recruited 32-year-old Aidan Sezer, while Parramatta’s Mitchell Moses and Manly’s Luke Brooks, who were dubbed the great halves saviours for the Wests Tigers not so long ago, are suddenly both 29.

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