Paul Wellens provides St Helens recruitment update and Sione Mata’utia admission

St Helens head coach Paul Wellens has provided a recruitment update ahead of the off-season, and has made a major admission.

Saints this week announced the signing of winger Lewis Murphy, from NRL side Sydney Roosters.

Murphy broke through in 2022, scoring 19 tries in just 21 games for Wakefield Trinity in his debut season, and in an interesting twist of fate, that season saw him score four tries against his future club in one game.

The 22-year-old became the Saints’ third new NRL signing for 2025, after Tristan Sailor and Kyle Feldt.

After a disappointing campaign in 2024, they’ll surely be looking to make a fair few changes to the squad for 2025.

Speaking to Love Rugby League, Wellens has offered up an update on the club’s recruitment plans.

Paul Wellens provides St Helens recruitment update and Mata’utia admission

Sailor and Feldt signing means the side will have two new players occupying quota spots.

However, Saints already have all seven spots full, with three of those taken up by players whose contracts are up after 2024.

That’s Konrad Hurrell, Sione Mata’utia and Waqa Blake – with all except Blake having a one-year extension option in their contracts.

The new signings mean two of the three will have to leave ahead of 2025, and Wellens has provided an update on Sione Mata’utia, saying: “Just taking it as they come.

“Obviously I’ve already spoken about Sione Mata’utia and him maybe needing to make a decision around his future.

“When that decision is made, that may dictate whether we need to bring somebody in or not, so there’s little things like that at play which may force us into the market again but we’ll have to wait and see.

“Obviously our preferred option at this moment in time would be for Sione to stay but, again, we’ll wait and see how that pans out.”