Hughes Steals the Show as Storm Dominate Cowboys in Style
Wow—what a performance from Melbourne Storm’s Jahrome Hughes! If anyone doubted his form this season, last night’s clash against the North Queensland Cowboys silenced every critic. Hughes wasn’t just good—he was absolutely electric. He ran the game from start to finish and headlined a 38-14 masterclass at AAMI Park that’ll be talked about all week.
All eyes were meant to be on Tom Dearden, especially with chatter around him replacing Daly Cherry-Evans in the Queensland Origin squad. But instead, it was Hughes—reigning Dally M Medallist—who flipped the script with an outstanding all-round performance. Two tries, two try assists, and nine tackle busts—this was his night. It wasn’t just stats, either. Hughes brought creativity, energy, and leadership. Whether it was a perfectly timed strip on Jeremiah Nanai near the tryline or orchestrating the spine's flow, everything clicked.
What made this even more special? It marked the 100th NRL game Hughes and Cameron Munster played together in the halves for Melbourne. And they made it count. Hughes’ combination of speed and instinct kept the Cowboys guessing all night. Even Storm coach Craig Bellamy, who just signed on until 2027, couldn’t hide his praise. He admitted Hughes had been battling through injuries—including a broken hand and neck niggles—but still delivered his best game of the year. That’s gutsy.
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The Storm kicked things off early, racing to a 12-0 lead within 18 minutes, with Hughes right in the thick of it. North Queensland did manage to claw back a try through Jaxson Paulo and had a strong share of territory, but costly errors and dropped balls—like the fumble off a Hughes bomb just before halftime—hurt them badly. The Storm took full advantage, leading 18-4 at the break.
In the second half, Nick Meaney ran onto a slick Hughes grubber to widen the gap. The Cowboys sparked a short-lived revival with back-to-back tries from Drinkwater and Derby, trimming the lead to just 10 points. But Nelson Asofa-Solomona shut the door with a powerhouse try, dragging multiple defenders with him over the line.
Cowboys coach Todd Payten didn’t sugarcoat it post-match. He said his side beat themselves with poor discipline and soft defence. And honestly? He’s right. The Cowboys have the firepower, but last night, they lacked composure. Too many penalties, too many unforced errors.
But let’s not let that overshadow Hughes’ brilliance. This was a statement performance from a champion playmaker who reminded us all why he’s one of the best in the game. Injured or not, when Hughes turns it on like that, the Storm are nearly unstoppable.
If that’s what a “banged-up” Hughes looks like, the rest of the league better be on notice.
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