NRL 2025: The Broncos will field the NRL’s oldest halves pairing next year with Adam Reynolds and Ben Hunt
The NRL may be a young man’s game, but the Broncos will contend for a premiership with the oldest halves pairing in the competition next year.
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Veteran Broncos playmakers Adam Reynolds and Ben Hunt have been tipped to fire as the NRL prepares for the year of the fossil in 2025.
Reynolds and Hunt, both 34, are set to combine at Brisbane’s scrumbase in the early parts of next season due to the expected absence of five-eighth Ezra Mam.
Mam will face court in Brisbane on Monday week after being charged by police with drug driving following a car crash in October.
With Mam set to be sidelined, the Broncos launched a successful pursuit for disgruntled Dragons skipper Hunt, who will return to Red Hill for the next two seasons.
With 334 NRL games under his belt, Hunt, and Reynolds (287 games) will start the 2025 premiership with a combined 621 games between them.
Older players at NRL clubs are often tagged “fossils”, a term of endearment regarding their age.
New Broncos coach Michael Maguire may be taking a punt having such an experienced halves combination, but Titans veteran Kieran Foran believes it was a shrewd move by Brisbane to bring Hunt home.
“I’m not surprised,” the 303-game Foran said.
“Ben Hunt is a great player and has been for a long time. He is a huge addition to their side.”
There will be at least 12 playmakers aged 30-plus in the NRL next season.
Manly and Maroons captain Daly Cherry-Evans will turn 36 in February shortly after South Sydney’s Cody Walker celebrates his 35th birthday in January.
Hunt (35 in March) and Reynolds (35 in July) are the next two oldest followed by Foran (35 in July).
While the NRL is quickly becoming a young man’s game due to rule changes aimed at increasing fatigue and the speed of play, playmakers are thriving on the wrong side of 30.
Melbourne duo Cameron Munster and Jahrome Hughes turned 30 this year along with Canberra’s Jamal Fogarty.
Penrith’s four-time premiership champion Nathan Cleary is somewhat of a baby in the playmaking stakes at 27.
Foran said experience counted in the halves and the old heads were keeping each other young.
“It’s great that us old blokes are still running around,” he said.
“We’ve been very fortunate to live out our dreams as long as we have.
“All of us at certain periods have challenged one another and pushed each other to keep going. We’ve inspired each other.
“We’re all great mates off the field too.
“It’s really cool we’re still able to do what we do so many years on.”
Originally published as NRL 2025: The Broncos will field the NRL’s oldest halves pairing next year with Adam Reynolds and Ben Hunt
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