Widdop to leave Melbourne

England international Gareth Widdop will leave Melbourne at the end of the season to join NRL rivals St George Illawarra.

Widdop, 24, emigrated to Victoria with his family as a teenager and has come through the ranks at Storm, winning the NRL title and the World Club Challenge.

He has now signed a four-year deal with the Dragons, replacing Jamie Soward who this week revealed he was moving to Penrith.

Despite the capture of Widdop, St George are still pressing ahead with plans to sign Castleford’s Rangi Chase, meaning they could line up with two England internationals in the halves next year.