Major controversy could lead to Jack Welsby leaving St Helens

St George Illawarra Dragons have begun negotiations with St Helens star Jack Welsby over a potential move but Welsby’s future hangs in the balance.

Welsby is contracted to Saints until the end of the 2025 season so the ball is in St Helens’ court but the Dragons believe they can get the fullback before 2025 perhaps with a fee or the promise of NRL rugby.

However, the move hangs in the balance over a controversial figure in the shape of Junior Amone. Amone is a key player for the Dragons but was found guilty of a hammer attack alongside his father.

He was able to avoid prison, unlike his father, being given a correctional sentence of 30 hours of community service. However, the NRL are still yet to impose their punishment which could see him ruled out for an extended period of time.

If so, the Dragons will step up their interest in Welsby as Head Coach Shane Flanagan explained: “We are definitely looking outside the square and have gone as far as going to the UK with Jack Welsby. We’ve expressed some interest there and made contact with his manager.

“He is a super talent with attacking brilliance. We know there will be a lot of interest when he comes off contract but we might have to push now to see if we can get him.

“We will see what happens with Junior Amone. If things don’t go well we will go hard for Jack Welsby. He is a real danger carrying the football.”

As previously revealed, the Saints will start the new campaign off with our home opener against London Broncos at the Totally Wicked Stadium on Friday, 16th February with kick-off at 8pm.

Their first away game of the season will be at Huddersfield Giants on Saturday, 24th February at 5:30pm.

The Biggest Derby in Rugby League – the traditional Good Friday Derby against old rivals Wigan Warriors returns to the home of the Red V in 2024 at 3pm on the 29th of March. The marquee game is always one of the stand-out dates in the calendar and promises to be another high-quality affair between 2023’s World Club Champions – our Saints, and 2023’s Super League title winners – the Warriors.

Saints will have three instances of back-to-back home matches during 2024, firstly in March against Leigh Leopards & Salford Red Devils, then during April we will host Hull FC & Huddersfield, followed by Leeds Rhinos & Catalans Dragons visiting the Totally Wicked Stadium in May.

Local neighbours Warrington Wolves come to face the Red V on Friday, 19th July in what is always an exciting contest.

Magic Weekend takes place at Elland Road in the height of summer and a mouth-watering clash headlines Day One of Super League’s annual festival of action with Paul Wellens’ men taking on Wigan Warriors on Saturday, 17th August.

Round 26 will be St Helens’ final home league match of the campaign against Castleford Tigers on Friday, 13th September before a trip to this year’s Challenge Cup winners Leigh Leopards which will bring the curtain down on the regular season (27 fixtures; 13 home, 13 away, 1 at Magic Weekend).

The top six sides after Round 27 will enter the Super League Play-Offs. The top two finishing teams will be eighty minutes away from a Grand Final appearance after earning a home semi-final and a week off ahead of it with those games contested in the second week of the Play-Offs. Week One sees the third-placed team face sixth and fourth against fifth in elimination games.

Super League reaches its conclusion with the Grand Final at Manchester United’s Old Trafford on Saturday, 12th October.

It remains to be seen if Welsby will be at the club to lead the Saints back to Old Trafford or if he will be down under.