St Helens handed blow with Canberra Raiders to table bid for Super League target

St Helens have been dealt another blow in their reported pursuit of Canberra Raiders star Josh Papali’i with the veteran set to make a call.

Papali’i is out of contract at the end of the season with the Raiders legend seemingly on his way out of the club, or at least he was and that led to plenty of outside interest.

With suggestions that Papali’i would be unwilling to play against Canberra, it saw Super League sides jump to the front of the queue in terms of recruitment and St Helens were deemed the frontrunners with reports in May stating that the Red Vee were ‘closing in on’ the signing.

Paul Wellens played his cards close to his chest when asked about signing the veteran forward, simply stating his admiration of the Queenslander as a player but in more recent weeks, complications have arisen.

Papali’i has found a second wind in his career and was even recalled to the State of Origin arena and that’s seen the Raiders consider a new deal for the 33-year-old, something which would put Saints’ hopes of signing him in danger.

St Helens handed Josh Papali’i blow

Recent reports from media Down Under have claimed that the forward ‘doesn’t really want to go to Super League’, whilst the latest comments from Canberra Raiders chief executive Don Furner have confirmed the club’s interest in keeping Papali’i.

“We’re considering re-signing Josh for another season,” Furner explained to The Sydney Morning Herald.

“We were thinking he would go to England to finish his career, but he’s keen to continue in the NRL, and it wouldn’t have seemed right to see him playing against us.”

With St Helens having just two overseas players signed up for next year, Kyle Feldt and Tristan Sailor, the club have plenty of business to do.

Reports from All Out Rugby League state that they have re-signed Agnatius Paasi but with Morgan Knowles leaving for the NRL, it was hoped that Saints could bring in somebody with immense experience to help fill that void.