Super League icon to play astonishing 28th professional season aged 44

Super League stalwart and former Great Britain international Paul Sykes will continue his incredible rugby league career into a 28th professional season in 2026 after agreeing a new deal with Dewsbury Rams.

Last season, Sykes set an all-time rugby league record for the most consecutive professional seasons played, surpassing the legendary Gus Risman’s long-standing record.

But he will extend that record even further in 2026 after agreeing to play on for the Rams in the newly-merged Championship in the 2026 season – meaning he will have appeared in 28 straight years of professional rugby league should he feature at least once.

JOIN OUR WHATSAPP COMMUNITY!

👉🏻 Click HERE to join and have the biggest rugby league exclusives delivered straight to your device!

Sykes made his debut for Bradford Bulls last century – in 1999. Since then, he has played almost 600 professional games for a plethora of clubs as well as Great Britain. Nearly 200 of those appearances have been with Dewsbury, who Sykes has played for since 2016: meaning he will also bring up a decade of service for the Rams next year.

Dewsbury head coach Paul March said: “What more can you say about Sykesy? He is a true marvel of the game. His physical condition is a testament to his dedication, and his rugby brain is second to none.”

Sykes started at the Bulls in 1999 as an 18-year-old, spending four seasons with Bradford’s first team before making the switch south to play for London Broncos.

There, he established himself as a Super League star making well over 100 appearances for the club in six seasons. He also earned his one and only Great Britain cap while at London in 2007. Sykes also made five appearances for England between 2005 and 2009.

A return to Bradford followed in 2008 before a move across West Yorkshire to Wakefield Trinity. Sykes would then drop out of Super League in 2015 after signing for Featherstone but his career has not slowed down, with the 44-year-old still performing week in, week out.

He will turn 45 next August, meaning he will be comfortably the oldest player in the modern era to have played a professional game of rugby league should he feature for Dewsbury.

THURSDAY’S READS ON LRL

👉🏻 Derek Beaumont guiding new Salford consortium as unexpected role revealed

👉🏻 Former Salford Red Devils star launches bid to purchase club as new consortium enters race

👉🏻 Salford legend Adrian Morley lined up for key role in new Red Devils consortium

👉🏻 London Broncos set to land latest Papua New Guinean star for 2026 as Kumuls contingent grows