St Helens are set to enter a new era with the 2024 season marking the first Super League season since 2003 that James Roby hasn’t played in, meaning that the iconic number nine shirt is set to change hands for the first time in two decades.
Of course the man that is being handed it is the Red Vee’s splash signing of Daryl Clark, the England hooker being announced as signing for the 2024 campaign earlier in the season.
The ex-Warrington Wolves man will become just the third in almost thirty years to don the number nine shirt for Saints, with Roby having taken the mantle from fellow legend Keiron Cunningham therefore highlighting the massive shoes that Clark has to fill.
Saints tonight have announced their squad numbers for the 2024 campaign and there’s been plenty of movers but obviously none more notable than that of Clark taking on the nine shirt.
He’ll be backed up by Moses Mbye, the mid-season signing moving from number 35 to number 14 and taking the shirt number formerly occupied by Joey Lussick whom Mbye had replaced during the 2023 campaign.
There are no surprises in the rest of the spine positions, in fact numbers one through thirteen remain unchanged outside of Clark and the absent number three shirt following Will Hopoate’s retirement.
New signing Matt Whitley takes the number 19 shirt as he joins the club he grew up supporting, whilst last season’s breakout youngster George Delaney also gets a bump up the pecking order.
St Helens confirmed all the numbers for the upcoming campaign with the following statement.
“Daryl Clark becomes only the third man in nearly 30 years to have the number #9 shirt at St.Helens, following in the footsteps of two of the Club’s greatest-ever players Keiron Cunningham, and the recently retired James Roby.
“Fellow new Saint Matt Whitley returns home to the local area and joins the club he grew up supporting, and in 2024 he will wear the #19 shirt.
“Upon joining the Red V during the 2023 season, Moses Mbye received the shirt number #35 and now moves up to #14 ahead of his second season.
“Following an outstanding breakout campaign last season in the front row, the Saints’ Young Player of the Year, 19-year-old George Delaney, has been rewarded by his coaches for his strong efforts and will wear shirt number #20.
“The Saints’ 2023 Members’ & Players’ Player of the Year, James Bell, takes the number that has been vacated following the retirement of Saints stalwart Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, #15.
“After impressing in our Reserves ranks, Jake Burns becomes a full-time player with St.Helens for the first time and will have squad number #24. Ben Lane (#26) and McKenzie Buckley (#27) both move up in number from last season too.
“Five of our 2023 Academy Champion Saints; Dayon Sambou (28), Will Roberts (29), Jonathon Vaughan (30), Noah Stephens (31), and Leon Cowen (32), have all received their first senior Saints squad numbers within our First Team ranks.”
St Helens 2024 Squad
1 -Jack Welsby
2 – Tommy Makinson
4 – Mark Percival
5 – Jon Bennison
6 – Jonny Lomax
7 – Lewis Dodd
8 – Alex Walmsley
9 – Daryl Clark
10 – Matty Lees
11 – Sione Mata’utia
12 – Joe Batchelor
13 – Morgan Knowles
14 – Moses Mbye
15 – James Bell
16 – Curtis Sironen
17 – Agnatius Paasi
18 – Jake Wingfield
19 – Matt Whitley
20 – George Delaney
21 – Ben Davies
22 – Sam Royle
23 – Konrad Hurrell
24 – Jake Burns
25 – Tee Ritson
26 – Ben Lane
27 – McKenzie Buckley
28 – Dayon Sambou
29 – Will Roberts
30 – Jonny Vaughan
31 – Noah Stephens
32 – Leon Cowen.
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