Milestone Men: Jesse and Jarrod lead charge to 300 Club
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After launching his career 12 years ago in a Storm side that featured no fewer than six members of the exclusive ‘300 Club’, it is fitting that Kiwi powerhouse Jesse Bromwich gets the chance to raise his triple century early in the 2023 season.
Bromwich was a raw 20-year-old when he came off the bench in Melbourne’s 14-10 win over Cronulla in round one of 2010, kick-starting a decorated 295-game career that has earned him three premierships and a reputation as one of the game’s elite front-rowers.
Playing alongside Bromwich that night were Storm royalty Cameron Smith, Billy Slater and Ryan Hoffman, as well as Aiden Tolman and Adam Blair, while star halfback Cooper Cronk was still recovering from off-season groin surgery but returned in round three.
Smith was already 169 games into a career that ended in 2020 after a staggering 430 matches all for the Storm, while Slater would rack up 319 games for Melbourne and Cronk 323 before he rounded out his career with two years and two premierships at the Roosters.
Hoffman played 269 games for the Storm and 60 at the Warriors for a career tally of 329, Blair chalked up 331 games across four clubs and Tolman retired at the end of last year with 317 games to his name during stints at Cronulla, Canterbury and Melbourne.
Move a once in a lifetime opportunity for Bromwich
It’s a tribute to Bromwich’s durability and work ethic that he now stands on the verge of his 300th game, which will come up in the Dolphins’ round five clash against the Dragons in Wollongong.
The 33-year-old departed Melbourne at the end of 2022 as the club’s third most capped player behind Smith, Slater and Cronk, and his experience will be crucial to the NRL’s newest franchise being competitive in their debut season.
“I think the main reason why I chose the Dolphins was the opportunity to start something from the start,” Bromwich told NRL.com in December.
“I was at the Storm for a very long time and the way the guys talked about the inaugural team members, just to be a part of that it’s exciting to be able to go up there and start something fresh.
“For me it’s a bit of a once in a lifetime opportunity, I’m a bit older now so to get the chance to do this with the experiences I’ve had, I’m really looking forward to it.
“I think about what the best things are at the Storm and what I can maybe bring there — it’s effort and doing things the right way the first time.”
Another man closing in on the 300-game milestone is Raiders legend Jarrod Croker, although a frustrating battle with a shoulder injury has left him stranded on 292 since round nine last year.
Ben Hunt in full control
The third highest pointscorer in the game's history, Croker looked to be steaming towards the magic mark at the end of the 2020 season with 279 games to his name, but he has played just 13 games in the past two years and will be hoping for a change of fortune in 2023.
The Raiders’ second most capped player behind namesake Jason Croker (318), the 32-year-old centre is reported to be in good shape and eyeing a start in the season opener against the Cowboys on March 4.
Should he line up in that game and stay injury free he will join the 300 Club in round nine against Bromwich’s Dolphins in Wagga.
Dragons skipper Ben Hunt (290) is on track to bring up his 300th game in round 11 against Cowboys in Townsville while Manly’s Daly Cherry-Evans (283) and Rooster Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (280) are also within sight of a triple century.
Another Rooster closing in on a significant career milestone is winger Daniel Tupou, who needs just six tries to equal Anthony Minichiello’s club record of 139 tries.
Unreal NRL: Nofoaluma launches
Tupou, who debuted in 2012 and shared premiership glory alongside Minichiello in 2013, has racked up 133 tries in 223 matches.
Another of the NRL’s prolific tryscorers David Nofoaluma requires just one four-pointer to bring up 100 for his career while Raiders flyer Jordan Rapana (94) and Rabbitohs star Latrell Mitchell (89) both have a ton of tries within their grasp.
Veteran playmaker Shaun Johnson, meanwhile, needs 41 points to become the first player to score 1000 points for the Auckland-based club.
In the coaching ranks, Wayne Bennett will reach the stunning milestone of 900 games as premiership coach when the Dolphins play Cronulla at Suncorp Stadium in Magic Round.
Premiership-winning Panthers mentor Ivan Cleary will reach a career total of 400 games when Penrith meet Parramatta in the grand final rematch in round four while his opponent that night, Brad Arthur, is on track to surpass Brian Smith as the longest-serving coach in the club’s history.
Smith’s record stands at 243 games, a mark Arthur will pass when the Eels clash with Canterbury at Accor Stadium in round 15.
