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NRL clubs are prepared to pay big transfer fee for St Helens star

After the Rugby League World Cup it was reported that Jack Welsby was on the radar of NRL club.

This came as the St Helens youngster really impressed especially in the opening game against Samoa playing in the halves.

All of this came perhaps on the back of the best year of the young man’s career.

By now everyone knows the story. He wrote his name in lights when he was on hand to touch down a bouncing ball in the 2020 Grand Final in the final play of the game to win the match for St Helens making it back to back titles.

Then he used that momentum to be crowned Young Player of the Year in 2021 scoring tries for fun whilst playing a variety of positions but 2022, after the departure of Lachlan Coote, saw Welsby nail down the number one shirt.

He was a real senior player for the Saints last term despite only turning 21 during the season. He moved position into the halves to ameliorate the impact of Lewis Dodd’s injury and would eventually come up with a vital assist against Leeds Rhinos in the Grand Final as Saints made it four in a row three of which Welsby has been part of.

Back in action on Saturday, he stood out against NRL side St George Illawarra Dragons ahead of this week’s World Club Challenge.

He had NRL legends Cooper Cronk, Michael Ennis and Corey Parker all praising him and according to the Mole of Wide World of Sports this has only upped the interest in the young fullback from NRL clubs.

He reported that there are now clubs keeping a close eye on him and that his contract, which doesn’t expire until 2025, would not be an issue for them as they would be willing to pay a transfer fee.

In fact, some of them would prefer to pay a fee than have to overpay an existing NRL star to get them to play fullback.

Wests Tigers paid Wigan Warriors $250,000 for John Bateman whose contract expired in 2024 thus Saints’ star man could command a figure of around $300,000 which would be about ÂŁ170,000.

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