As pre-season starts, player contracts tick over leaving plenty with less than a year on their deal, including a whole host at St Helens.
A number of Super League clubs have started their pre-season training and for St Helens, a few of their young stars are expected this week whilst the senior squad start next week on account of their play-off appearance.
Whilst that on-field work begins, the fact that pre-season has started means off-field work such as contracts will come to the fore with a large group of players now having less than one year on their current deals.
For St Helens, over 15 players see their contract expire at the end of the 2025 season. Amidst reports that rival clubs can now negotiate with off-contract players from December 1st, as opposed to the traditional May 1st deadline, Saints may look to resolve some contracts sooner rather than later.
We’ve looked at all the St Helens players who see their deal expire at the end of the 2025 season with a handful of first-team players and young stars in the mix.
The St Helens players with contracts expiring at the end of 2025
Contract details for two of the club’s young stars in Harry Robertson and George Whitby are undisclosed and there are a further three men on this list who have options for a 2026 contract.
They are Matty Lees, Jake Wingfield and Noah Stephens. Lees has become one of Super League’s elite props whilst youngster Stephens has shown flashes that he could be next in line to do so. For Jake Wingfield, injury has hampered him and that could hamper his chances of a new deal with the 2026 option based on an undisclosed number of matches being played. He has made 19 appearances across 2023 and 2024, compared to 20 in the 2022 season alone.
As for players whose deals expire at the end of 2025 without an option, there is a whole host of first-team players with the majority of the forward pack without a deal.
It is worth noting though that plenty of contracts may have been dealt with behind the scenes but not yet announced, however, as is the following forwards are without a deal for 2026; Joe Batchelor, Morgan Knowles, James Bell, Curtis Sironen, Agnatius Paasi, Matt Whitley and Leon Cowen, as well as utility Moses Mbye.
Four young players who recently signed one-year extensions also feature on this list in Ben Davies, Jon Bennison, Jake Burns and Will Roberts.
Meanwhile, there are a host of backs without a deal beyond 2025 such as speedsters Tee Ritson and Dayon Sambou, whilst utility youngster Jonny Vaughan is another.
St Helens players with contracts running out at the end of 2025
Matty Lees (Option)
Joe Batchelor
Morgan Knowles
Moses Mbye
James Bell
Ben Davies
Jon Bennison
Jake Burns
Will Roberts
Curtis Sironen
Agnatius Paasi
Jake Wingfield (Option based on matches played)
Matt Whitley
Tee Ritson
Dayon Sambou
Jonny Vaughan
Noah Stephens (Option)
Leon Cowen