Jack Welsby will be staying with St Helens until at least the end of the 2027 Betfred Super League season after agreeing a contract extension; the England international was rumoured to be attracting NRL interest; watch every Super League match in 2024 live on Sky Sports
Last Updated: 20/12/23 6:48pm
Jack Welsby will be staying with St Helens until at least the end of 2027
Jack Welsby will be staying with St Helens for at least four more seasons after agreeing a new contract with the Betfred Super League club.
The 22-year-old has emerged as one of the competition’s brightest stars since making his Saints debut in 2018 and had been rumoured to be attracting interest from NRL side St George Illawarra Dragons.
However, Welsby has now put pen to paper on a new deal with St Helens which runs until the end of the 2027 season, handing a boost to both the club he has been with since joining the youth set-up nine years ago and Super League as a whole.
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Darts star and St Helens fan Michael Smith expressed his pleasure after Jack Welsby agreed a new contract, ensuring he’ll remain at the club for at least four more seasons
Darts star and St Helens fan Michael Smith expressed his pleasure after Jack Welsby agreed a new contract, ensuring he’ll remain at the club for at least four more seasons
“It was a pretty long, drawn-out process, but when it came to it I don’t think I could see myself playing rugby anywhere else,” Welsby told Sky Sports News of his decision to stay at the Totally Wicked Stadium
“I love everyone at the club; I love all the players and staff and everyone involved, so once it came to it, it was a pretty easy decision.
“It’s the recent success we’ve had. Obviously this year wasn’t the best, but before that, we went on a really good run of wins in Grand Finals and big games, and I’ve been here since I was 14 and it’s all I’ve ever really known.”
When it came to it I don’t think I could see myself playing rugby anywhere else
St Helens’ Jack Welsby
Welsby had previously signed a new contract to run until the end of the 2025 season in May last year, and this further extension underlines how much he is valued by St Helens.
He has already been part of three Super League Grand Final-winning teams with Saints, including memorably scoring the game-clinching try on the final play of the game in 2020, and helped them win the Challenge Cup in 2021 along with beating Australian champions Penrith Panthers in this year’s World Club Challenge.
Welsby has scored 54 tries in 117 appearances so far, and has shown his versatility by playing in numerous positions across the back line and even at loose forward before settling into the full-back role.
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St Helens fans will be hoping to see more moments like Jack Welsby’s try against Leeds Rhinos after he extended his stay with the Betfred Super League club
St Helens fans will be hoping to see more moments like Jack Welsby’s try against Leeds Rhinos after he extended his stay with the Betfred Super League club
He has six England caps to his name as well and became the youngest player to captain the national team when he was selected as skipper for the first two Tests of this year’s home series against Tonga by head coach Shaun Wane, and he has his sights adding more honours to his already impressive rugby league CV.
“Hopefully we can do it all again,” Welsby said. “The main aim is to go and win another Grand Final again, along with the Challenge Cup and the League Leaders’ [Shield].
“Here at St Helens, we aim for the highest heights and with the squad we’ve got and the people we’ve brought in, I think we can go and do that.”
Watch every match of the 2024 Betfred Super League season, including Magic Weekend, the play-offs, and men’s, women’s and wheelchair Grand Finals, plus the World Club Challenge, live on Sky Sports. Also stream with NOW.