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St Helens tie down off-contract forward to long-term deal

Heading into the 2025 season, St Helens have confirmed a new long-term deal for one of their highly-prized off-contract forwards.

The Red Vee have confirmed that young prop Noah Stephens has signed a new four-year deal which ensures his playing future until the end of the 2028 season.

It’s a major win for St Helens to tie down Stephens given his off-contract nature and how impressive he has been during his early seasons in the first team.

Given the huge injury problems that St Helens faced in 2024, Stephens was thrown into the action perhaps far earlier than Paul Wellens would have planned but the 20-year-old flourished throughout.

He becomes the club’s second young star to pen a new deal following the long-term contract handed to fellow prop and reigning St Helens Young Player of the Year George Delaney.

Both Delaney and Stephens are now tied to the club until at least the end of the 2028 season meaning it appears that Saints have secured their long-term prop pairing.

St Helens tie down off-contract forward Noah Stephens to four-year deal

The club confirmed the new deal for Stephens via a press release that saw them explain the importance of securing Stephens’ talents long-term.

It read: “St Helens R.F.C. is delighted to confirm that Noah Stephens, one of Betfred Super League’s most promising front-rowers, will remain a Saint until at least the end of the 2028 season after agreeing to a new four-year contract!

“The 20-year-old prop is a proud product of the world-renowned Saints Academy, having joined the Club when he was just 15.

“As a proud product of the Saints Academy, Stephens becomes the latest youngster to sign a longer-term deal with St.Helens, following the likes of George Delaney whose contract extension was confirmed in January.”

Speaking on the new deal, Stephens said: “I’m very, very happy! When I was younger I wouldn’t have ever thought I’d be here doing this, but I’m here to do my best; to make the most out of this opportunity I’ve been given, to make the fans happy who come and watch us every week, and to enjoy it.

“Luckily I’m surrounded by a lot of people who have been doing this for their whole life and if you can absorb that knowledge that they have, then it will only kick you on further.”

Some of that knowledge will come from England internationals Matty Lees and Alex Walmsley with the latter a particular influence for Stephens.

He said: “In my position, Big Al [Alex Walmsley] will after pretty much every session have something he can help me with. I’m always open to taking that knowledge from him, who wouldn’t when he’s been so dominant in his position?”

In an emphatic closing message to the Saints faithful, Noah Stephens simply said this: “I’m here for the long run.”

As for head coach Paul Wellens, he said: “We are really pleased with Noah, in how he had adjusted to full-time rugby league and the impact he brings out on the field when he has had opportunities, and we only see that impact growing.

“He has the likes of Matty Lees or Alex Walmsley there to lean for advice to improve his game. Whilst we try to help as coaches sometimes the best messages can come from the players around you who are experiencing the same things.

“Noah has to continue working as hard as he has and keep applying himself in the manner he has in recent years because he is certainly a player that we see being a long-term fixture at this club. He has already shown he is up for the challenge.

“We hope we at Saints can see him continue to develop, not just this year, but beyond with the extension of his new contract.”

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