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.”
Loading
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.
