I’m away for the weekend but just read the synopsis and it says he talks about his aspirations to join the NRL

Curiosity got the better of me and I’ve listened to it all. Apart from him being incredibly laid back and mature, what struck me after listening in full was that he genuinely seems 50/50 about going. He’s different than Graham who always had a yearn to go to the NRL from being a young lad.

He certainly played a straight bat with the questions.

What was good to hear though was the England situation. It’s 100% clear that it’s a harmonious camp and that there are no club rivalries anymore. It augurs really well for the future.

If you listen to midweek matters Wellens had a word with Graham about what he was going to ask him when he found out he was going on the show particularly around his future ambitions.

No doubt he will have had a word with Welsby too once he knew he was going on, particularly around his NRL ambitions.

Yeah very true. He’s hardly likely to have said he’s desperate to go to be fair.

It doesn’t seem that money is a huge factor in his life though. Consistently references throughout that he’d play for free.

He's no Radlinski

It was telling that Graham was nervous about mentioning it to Wellens and what he’d think about it. Clearly we all know the NRL is going to come up as a subject and Graham said on that podcast that he wants to see him in the NRL and I’m sure he knows doing the interview will only intensify any speculation. If that were a Wigan player doing this interview the cynic in me would think it’s a means to an end.

That is indeed good to hear, Stu.

According to the below, Welsby is going nowhere yet although I can't find the Daily Telegraph article. https://www.totalrl.com/st-helens-and-j ... d-of-2028/

According to the below, Welsby is going nowhere yet although I can't find the Daily Telegraph article. https://www.totalrl.com/st-helens-and-j ... d-of-2028/

Smart move, done a Wigan, give your best player a long term deal and then if they do want a crack at the NRL you'll get a decent fee.
I'm sure that's why Thompson was given 4 years, proves his fitness over 24/25 and then when the NRL come calling again we more or less get our money back

I agree. Quite a few people now saying that he won't ever go. I don't see it like that, like you allude to it just means that if he does continue to develop then it means we will receive a substantial fee. Plus it gives us a bit more time to look at the next cab off the rank i.e Harry Robertson.

Well I am glad Welsby is staying just to see how he handles next season if all doesnt go well for ST Helens.

I am delighted that both he and Smith are staying. Hopefully this will strengthen the England set up and encourage more young players to rebuff the Aussie dollar. The domestic game will only get stronger if we can hang on to our developing stars. And I think that the myth that going to the NRL makes the England team stronger has been busted a few times in recent years.
And as a Wigan fan I think it’s fair to say that the Saints will be fine in 2024. They are a very well run club.