St Helens launches Jack Welsby’s retention move as NRL club make bid for England ace.
St Helens are going all out to keep Jack Welsby after claims of interest in the NRL. Rugby League Live can tell that the Super League giants have tabled an enhanced, multi-year contract for the 22-year-old in an attempt to keep him at the club in the long run.
It comes as the Daily Telegraph reports that the St George Illawarra Dragons are interested in signing the England star after outstanding performances on the international stage and in the World Club Challenge.
Welsby is under contract until the end of 2025, but Saints have made his future the club’s number one priority and are now working on a
Saints have a quota place available and have kept the number 3 jersey empty. They aim to bring in a new player in the future, but until Welsby’s situation is sorted, their primary attention will be on retaining one of the Super League’s top players.
While the specific sums involved in the negotiations are unknown, it is understood that the contract offer offered represents a considerable improvement, and if he signs, Welsby will become one of the club’s flagship players. New rules allow a team to have a homegrown star as one of three marquees while only costing £50,000 on the salary ceiling.
In a short period of time, Welsby has emerged as probably the best Super League player. He rose to prominence during an epic match-winning moment that secured the Saints’ 2020 Grand Final victory, and he has since established himself on both the club and international stages. Welsby, 22, is a three-time Grand Final champion who has made 117 Super League games, won the Challenge Cup, League Leaders’ Shield, and World Club Challenge, and scored in the club’s legendary victory over the Penrith Panthers.
Shane Flanagan, St George’s head coach, expressed interest in Welsby, telling the Daily Telegraph: “He is still young and might come over here and have a long career. We are definitely thinking outside the box, and we have even planned a trip to the United Kingdom with Jack Welsby. We expressed interest and contacted his manager.
“He is a tremendous talent with incredible attacking ability. We know there will be a lot of interest when he comes off contract, but we may have to act quickly to see if we can get him.”
