Alex Walmsley commits long-term future to St Helens

Drew Darbyshire

Alex Walmsley will spearhead the St Helens forward pack

St Helens prop Alex Walmsley has signed a new deal that will see him stay with the club until at least the end of 2024.

The 30-year-old has made 201 appearances for Saints since joining from Championship side Batley back in 2012. He has earned five caps for England and four for Great Britain.

Walmsley was named in the Super League Dream Team in 2015 and 2020, and has won three Super League titles with Saints.

He said: “I am really happy and I am delighted to get the deal done and commit my future to the club. I have been here since 2012 and the 2013 season and I have loved it.

“The club and the fans and the town have been so good to me and it is my new home. I have loved playing for St Helens and the whole club. It was so easy to commit my future to them and hopefully I can end my career here.

“My current deal takes me until the end of 2024 but I still feel I have a lot of rugby left in me and this is the place I want to finish my career at. The plan is to have a successful next few year and hopefully leave an impact on the club in what will hopefully be 12 years of service. I am excited to be a part of what I am sure will be a successful few years for this club.”

Saints coach Kristian Woolf said: “This is terrific news for the club. He has been a real leader in terms of our pack well before I arrived here, but was certainly that leader for us last season. I am looking forward to him being that for us this season too.

“He is a big part of our success and is a real leader within our group and particularly a leader of our pack and I think it is a real sign of what he means to this club, but what the club means to him as well in terms of him being willing to put pen to paper and extend his stay with us.

“There has been no inclination of him looking elsewhere or at other opportunities and he is St Helens through and through. This is where he wants to be and he is going to really leave his mark on this club throughout the course of his contract.”

St Helens have also announced that young forward Jake Wingfield has signed a new two-year contract extension that will keep him at the club until at least the end of 2023.

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