THEN there were two!

St Helens hooker Keiron Cunningham and Leeds centre Keith Senior are the only men still playing Super League who appeared in the very first round of summer rugby back in 1996.

Three others - Warrington centre Paul Johnson, Saints scrum-half Sean Long and Bradford hooker Terry Newton - have also played in all 13 previous Super League campaigns, and the race is on to be the last man standing.

Senior has already vowed to continue into 2010 and possibly beyond. But Cunningham, who turned 33 in October, is unlikely to follow suit.

“I'd like to say so - but I very much doubt that,” he said.

“There are a lot more people looking a lot more virile than I am.

“This will probably be my last season, and I think Keith has another couple of years left.”

Illustrious

As he prepares to make his 438th appearance for St Helens in Friday's opening match of the season against Warrington, Cunningham knows when the time will be right to hang up his boots and bring his illustrious career to an end.

“I don't want to be dragging myself around the field,” he said.

“Last year I felt very good, and things worked out well for me.

“I had an overall good season and I am happy to go around again. I hope this season will be kind to me.

“I feel like I could play forever - that's the mentality I've got. It's just the training and the pre-season that really takes its toll on you. I'm glad pre-season is over.”

A true St Helens great, Cunningham will be immortalised in bronze - with a statue of him to be erected outside the club's proposed new stadium - but he has some unfinished business before he finally calls it a day.

As captain, he lifted the Challenge Cup in 2007 and 2008. But the Super League crown slipped through Saints' grasp both years, despite finishing top of the table, and he aims to put that right this season.

Silverware

“If it is my last season, I'd like to think I could lift some silverware,” he added.

“The trophy evaded me in the last two years.

“We are always going to put our hand up and say we're in with a good shout for everything. We've got a very good squad of players and a lot of great young kids coming through.

“I hope this is our season to lift the Super League championship.”

St Helens are joint favourites with champions Leeds to top the table. But both Cunningham and Long are a year older - and with only one close-season signing, new coach Mick Potter will have to call on the club's crop of promising youngsters.

Cunningham is excited at that prospect and is backing the young guns to keep Saints marching on.

“They're not going to have an easy ride,” he warned.

“For a long time, we've had good strength in depth with quality players - and the kids just got blooded now and then.

“To force them into circumstances is probably good for them. You can see in training that it's given them a new edge. There is a buzz, because they know they're going to get a chance this year.”

Cunningham expects the Rhinos to be the team to beat once more but believes the challenge could come from any one of eight of the 14 teams.

“Looking across the board, it's going to be a lot more even spread this year,” he predicted.

“I don't think the first-placed team will get as many points as previous years. There are eight very good sides contending for Old Trafford.

“Every year it gets tighter and harder - and it will be no different this year.”
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