St Helens star Joe Batchelor signed a new three-year contract at the Saints whilst on World Cup duty with England.
The 27-year-old second-rower, who joined the club initially on a three-year contract from York City Knights back in 2019, signed a deal to stay at the Totally Wicked Stadium into the 2025 season.
After a slow start to his career at Saints, Batchelor has been a revelation. His breakout year was 2021 under Kristian Woolf, making 22 appearances and scoring three tries, as the club tasted a third Grand Final success in a row, beating Catalans at Old Trafford.
In season 2022, he was handed the number 12 shirt by Woolf as he went on to make another 29 appearances and had his best try-scoring season to date, scoring 12 times in a lethal edge partnership with Jonny Lomax.
An England debut followed back in June against the Combined Nations All-Stars and he was recently named in Shaun Wane’s England Rugby League World Cup squad.
Batchelor told the offical St Helens website at the time: “I’m absolutely delighted to be staying I couldn’t think of anywhere else I’d rather be playing my rugby so to stay for another three years was an absolute no brainer and I’m absolutely delighted.”
However, he may not stay at St Helens till 2025 and the expiry of his current deal.
According to the notorious Mole of Wide World of Sports, Batchelor is keen on a move to the NRL and has even appointed an Australian agent to look into the possibility.
The Mole has even suggested that he could get out of his deal with the Saints to pursue this move.
Serious About Rugby League have contacted St Helens for comment.
1 Comment
Leave a Reply
Leave a Reply
Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants reject offer from Super League rivals for half-back
Castleford Tigers
Castleford Tigers expecting flurry of signings
Warrington Wolves
Sam Burgess makes decision on future following South Sydney links
Castleford Tigers
Revealed: Why Sylvester Namo was found guilty
I like rugby
January 4, 2023 at 7:54 pm
He is the type of player suited to the NRL and that was obvious since he’s been in Saints’ team regularly. He is a consistent tackling forward and would be one of the better English players to go there alongside another “not so obvious” but actually very obvious (and easily one of the most high-performing English players around) Whitehead – mostly unspectacular but top level player with real ability without unsubstantiated flashiness.