Another club have joined the race to try and sign Jack Welsby from St Helens ahead of the 2024 season.
Reports emerged from the Daily Telegraph that St George Illawarra Dragons were interested in the fullback and potentially moving him to the stand-off role.
Their interest was born out of fear of losing Junior Amone after he was found guilty of threatening a man with a hammer alongside his father. He was given a correctional sentence including 30 hours of community service. The club could lose him when the NRL make a decision on punishing the Tongan international.
Thus, the Dragons began talks with Jack Welsby and his management ahead of a potential move ahead of the new season.
Now the race to sign Welsby has been made more complicated with Australian publication Zero Tackle reporting that another club are in talks with the England star.
There have been reports that Welsby is about to agree to a new contract with St Helens with a contract extension until the 2028 season.
The club entered talks with the fullback as soon as NRL clubs came knocking for the fullback. There are now three clubs interested in Welsby including the Saints.
Paul Wellens was bullish earlier this year about wanting to keep his key men:
“That’s our challenge as a club to retain our best players, we have had a lot of success in doing that.
“You look at Jonny Lomax, James Roby, Mark Percival, Tommy Makinson, Alex Walmsley, Morgan Knowles, I can go on, Matty Lees.
“A lot of players there who could quite comfortably go and played elsewhere, in the NRL or wherever.
“But we’re delighted that those fellas have committed their long term future to our club and that will be the challenge again moving forward.
“If other clubs and particularly clubs from the other side of the world are showing an interest in our players then we’re doing something right.
“That challenge remains and stays, it’s not one that we shy away from. We have created a good environment and that is the focus for us not what other clubs are doing.”
