Josh Papali’i St Helens switch takes dramatic twist with prop’s bold NRL claim
Josh Papali'i receives a guard of honour following his 300th Canberra Raiders appearance in 2024
He has been heavily linked with a move to Super League in 2026 with St Helens: but Josh Papali’i insists he may yet remain in the NRL.
Reports emerged last week stating that the prop, who will feature in State of Origin next weekend, had agreed a two-year deal with the Saints with no deal on the table at the Raiders, where is the club’s most-capped player.
Paul Wellens refused to confirm or deny those reports last week but Papali’i has now given his version of events on where his future lies.
He has insisted he is still ‘unsure’ about who he will be playing for in 2026 and has warned he still has plenty left in the tank. That could be in Super League, or it could be in the NRL.
“I’m still unsure,” he told reporters in Australia.
“I feel like I still got a lot to offer as a player and as a mentor and just being an older head I still feel like I can still play good footy, and I think our season down in Canberra is sort of showing that.
“Holding the record for Canberra now and overtaking Jason Croker down there with the most games for Canberra Raiders is obviously very special, and that’s how I sort of want to keep it.
“But if the team that you’re playing for is not offering you another contract for the following year and you want to play on, you’ve obviously got to look elsewhere.
“You never say never. I still feel like I’ve got a lot of footy in me, whether that’s in the NRL or Super League.”
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