HE might be 42 years of age, but Paul Sykes is gearing up for his 26th season in professional rugby league.
Debuting for the Bradford Bulls in 1999, Sykes has the honour of playing the sport in every decade since the summer game began – and he is showing no signs of slowing down.
Moving from Bradford to London Broncos, back to Bradford and then Wakefield Trinity, the playmaker registered over 300 Super League appearances before dropping down a league to ply his trade with Featherstone Rovers in 2015.
There, Sykes played just one season before setting at Dewsbury where he has been ever since, helping the Rams earn promotion back to the Championship at the first time of asking in 2023.
That might have prompted some players to hang up his boots but Sykes is raring to go.
“The body is pretty good,” Sykes told League Express.
“We’ve had quite a long break with finishing early so I am well rested and ready to go in 2024. I just enjoy playing the game.
“Rugby league is all I’ve ever done since being a kid so I just think if I still have something to offer why not? When it’s done that’s it.
“I’d have to let you know about retirement with about two or three games to go but if I’m playing well who knows.”
For Sykes, the current aim is to help Dewsbury stay in the second tier.
“My aim with Dewsbury is to obviously stay in the Championship and compete week in week out.
“It’s going to be a tough competition as there are some great players across all the teams but hopefully we can start well and build some momentum from the off.”
Throughout his rugby league career Sykes has been a top performer and now he has revealed the club he almost joined after leaving the London Broncos in 2007 and what potentially lies beyond a playing career.
“I had opportunity to go to Huddersfield when I left London but I wanted to have another crack with my first club in Bradford,.
“I would like to stay within the game on the coaching side of things and just spend more time with the family.”
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