St Helens forward James Bell appears to have secured his future with a move to Hull FC for 2026 on the cards.
The Black and Whites have already secured the addition of Joe Batchelor from the Totally Wicked Stadium and it is understood they have wrapped up the signing of Bell, too, with Hull moving swiftly to secure the double swoop.
The news will come as a huge boost for the Black and Whites, who have made a strong start to the 2025 Super League campaign, as they look ahead and plan for next year and beyond.
Bell is one of a number of St Helens players in the final year of his contract with the two-year deal the New Zealand-born Scotland international signed in 2023 expiring at the end of the campaign.
As such, following changes made to the anti-tampering rules, Bell has been allowed to speak to and negotiate with other clubs since December 1 and it is understood that a decision has been made which will bring his time in Merseyside to an end after four seasons.
Bell joined the Saints from Leigh Leopards for 2022 after impressing in Leigh’s ill-fated Super League campaign in 2021. He has since made 77 appearances for the club, scoring nine tries along the way, with the forward playing key roles in the club’s 2022 title charge and the World Club Challenge success that followed.
As reported previously by Hull Live, Batchelor is also expected to join Hull next season, while Morgan Knowles’ switch to the NRL for next season has already been announced by the Dolphins in a move that sees him link up with former Saints boss Kristian Woolf.
Batchelor helps Hull FC replace the outgoing Jordan Lane and while Bell can play in second-row, it seems fair to assume the 30-year-old will share loose-forward responsibilities with John Asiata from next season.
