St Helens signing Kyle Feldt has spoken to how the club culture has ensured a smooth transition whilst outlining his goals for 2025.
Saints have made just three signings ahead of the new season with all three men arriving from the NRL. Tristan Sailor looks set to replace Lewis Dodd in the halves alongside Jonny Lomax, albeit with Lomax moving to seven from six seemingly given the squad numbers.
Meanwhile, the Red Vee has also added a second winger alongside Feldt with Lewis Murphy returning to England after his year Down Under with Sydney Roosters. Murphy and Jon Bennison look set to compete for the starting spot alongside Feldt who appears to be a direct replacement for Tommy Makinson, the long-serving Saint having moved to Catalans Dragons in the off-season.
NRL signing on swapping the sun for St Helens
Credit: PhotoSportNZ/SWpix.com
Feldt joins St Helens having scored 151 tries in 217 NRL games for North Queensland Cowboys, a strike rate of just under seven tries in every ten games eclipses Makinson’s Saints record.
Key to carrying that form over would be a smooth transition, something that Feldt confirms has happened – aside from the English weather.
“It’s been good. I got here on the 25th or 26th so I’ve had a good time to settle in,” he told Saints TV.
“I’ve since had three days of training which has been good, it’s been a bit unreal. Today was classic English weather – nice, wet and raining in the freezing cold.”
The Queensland-born winger, who turns 33 a week before the Super League season starts, is used to the beating sun of Townsville and not the pounding rain of St Helens, however, he claims he’s already embracing the experience.
Fedlt said: “We’ve come from a place where the lowest it gets is about 18 or 19 degrees and we’ve come over here where I think that’s about as hot as it gets.
“It’s been good though. Like I said, I’m really embracing the culture, the weather, and the club as well.”
Kyle Feldt hails Saints’ culture as he looks to etch his name into history
Credit: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com
There is more to the culture than just the weather though and that was a point Feldt was quick to point out as he hailed the impressive heritage aspect of the St Helens culture.
“The culture here is great,” he noted.
“It’s very family-orientated. Everyone is or will become good friends, I can see that already so it’s easy for me to fit in. Being a footy player, everyone has the same personality so it’s pretty good.
“To walk around and see all the accolades and all the Championships won and how much they respect all their past players is something I really like. I’m looking forward to hopefully being a part of it.”
The St Helens team he walks into still features a lot of the players who were involved in that incredible run of Grand Final victories from 2019 to 2022, whilst head coach Paul Wellens is a club legend.
Feldt is keen to write his name into club history, something he referenced as he was asked about winning silverware, stating bluntly: “That’s the reason you play football, to win the Championship and the silverware.
“I wouldn’t be coming here not to do that. I want to be able to add my name to the list of the greats here that have won a premiership.
“That’s something that I’ve always wanted to do. I know it will take a lot of hard work and sacrifice but that’s rugby league at the end of the day.”
