St Helens handed huge Josh Papalii blow as NRL club make transfer call

St Helens’ hopes of landing Canberra Raiders and Queensland star Josh Papalii in 2026 appear to have taken a significant blow.

The Saints were confident they had put together a two-year deal to sign the forward from the start of next season, after it emerged he had no future at the Raiders beyond 2025.

Papalii, the club’s all-time top appearance maker, had been told there would be no deal on the table for next year and had insisted he had no desire to play against Canberra at any stage in the NRL.

But the situation has now taken a fresh twist, with the forward seemingly set to open talks with the Raiders about a new one-year contract for the 2026 campaign.

Raiders CEO Don Furner has admitted to reporters in Australia that Papalii is now ‘keen’ to continue playing in the NRL.

“We’re considering re-signing Josh for another season,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald.

“We were thinking he would go to England to finish his career, but he’s keen to continue in the NRL, and it wouldn’t have seemed right to see him playing against us.”

The news would be a major blow for the Saints, who had earmarked Papalii as a huge recruit and a statement of intent for their plans for the 2026 season.

Papalii’s form this year earned him a recall to State of Origin with the Maroons, and he helped them secure victory in the series decider against New South Wales.

But it now looks as though the Saints will miss out on the prop.

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