EVERYONE knows that rugby league is one of the most physical sports a person can ever play.
In terms of length, rugby league playing careers are not exactly the longest with retirement coming in the mid-30s for a number of players.
However, some players break the mould and play on into late 30s and, in the case of Dewsbury Rams halfback Paul Sykes, into their 40s.
Sykes has penned a new one-year deal with the Rams for 2024 which will see him enter his 26th season as a professional rugby league player!
The veteran halfback, who has also had spells with the likes of Bradford Bulls and Wakefield Trinity, has made 170 appearances for the Rams, scoring 1,049 points after joining the club back in 2016.
Meanwhile, Sheffield Eagles playmaker Anthony Thackeray will play on past his 38th birthday after signing a new one-year deal with the South Yorkshire club.
With almost 350 career appearances to his name, Thackeray has registered 59 for the Eagles since joining in 2019.
The same is also true of Doncaster forward Brett Ferres who, like Thackeray, will be 38 midway through the 2024 Championship season.
A well-known figure in the Super League and the lower tiers, Ferres has registered almost 400 career appearances following spells at the likes of Bradford Bulls, Castleford Tigers and Huddersfield Giants.
The Yorkshireman joined Doncaster ahead of the 2023 season and helped the club earn promotion from League One.
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