The National Rugby League finals series launches this week with four huge games, kicking off with a blockbuster between Penrith Panthers and Parramatta Eels on Friday night.
While North Queensland Cowboys are the only Queensland-based team in the finals this year, they are joined by Sunshine Coast Falcons and Brisbane Tigers affiliate club Melbourne Storm, who will be fighting to progress this finals series against Canberra Raiders on Saturday afternoon.
All of the competing clubs will feature plenty of familiar faces for Hostplus Cup fans, with every team having at least one member of the squad - and in one case, the coaching staff - having taken part in Queensland's top statewide competition.
Between them, involved in 1764 games.
Naturally, both the Cowboys, linked with Mackay Cutters, Townsville Blackhawks and Northern Pride, and Storm with their feeder relationships with current Cup clubs, have the most players, with this week's team list Tuesday release naming 16 players for the Cowboys and 19 for the Storm in their extended squads.
Players like Canberra Raiders halfback Jamal Fogarty, formerly with Tweed Seagulls and Burleigh Bears, was a recent winner of the Petero Civoniceva Medal as the best and fairest player in the competition and is well known to Cup fans; but others may have forgotten appearances by Roosters half Luke Keary with Burleigh Bears and Sharks forward Aiden Tolman with Norths Devils.
Below is a full list of players who have featured in Cup and their number of games.
Former Cup players in the NRL finals series
Canberra Raiders
Jordan Rapana - 16
Jamal Fogarty - 117
Josh Papalii - 1
Peter Hola - 27
South Sydney Rabbitohs
Cody Walker - 58
Mark Nicholls - 48
Jai Arrow - 22
Kodi Nikorima - 11
Jason Demetriou (coach) - 50
Sydney Roosters
Luke Keary - 4
Matt Lodge - 23
Melbourne Storm
Nick Meaney - 1
Marion Seve - 80
Justin Olam - 71
Xavier Coates - 3
Cameron Munster - 46
Jahrome Hughes - 65
Harry Grant - 41
Nelson Asofa-Solomona - 9
Felise Kaufusi - 45
Kenny Bromwich - 42
Brandon Smith - 16
Tui Kamikamica - 61
Trent Loiero - 10
Chris Lewis - 60
Young Tonumaipea - 10
Jordan Grant - 68
Tepai Moeroa - 5
Cooper Johns - 41
Grant Anderson - 28
Parramatta Eels
Tom Opacic - 66
Bryce Cartwright - 5
North Queensland Cowboys
Scott Drinkwater - 46
Kyle Feldt - 47
Murray Taulagi - 10
Tom Dearden - 10
Jordan McLean - 11
Reuben Cotter - 16
Jeremiah Nanai - 7
Jason Taumalolo - 14
Tom Gilbert - 29
Coen Hess - 9
Griffin Neame - 8
Jamayne Taunoa-Brown - 50
Tom Chester - 13
Jake Granville - 112
Brendan Elliot - 17
Ben Hampton - 48
Cronulla Sharks
Nicho Hynes - 65
Toby Rudolf - 23
Braden Hamlin-Uele - 47
Aiden Tolman - 14
Penrith Panthers
Sean O'Sullivan - 18
*Statistics provided by Brad Tallon
