Matty Lees will leave St Helens on the finish of subsequent season to join new NRL franchise Papua New Guinea Chiefs.
The 28-year-old England prop has advised the membership he will likely be linking up with the brand new outfit, to be coached by current Hull Kingston Rovers boss Willie Peters, within the 2028 season.
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Lees has made practically 200 appearances for Saints after becoming a member of them as a 16-year-old and making his first-team debut at 18.
The Rochdale-born participant is at the moment out for the rest of the 2026 season after present process knee surgical procedure, and Saints have already moved to fill the hole he leaves by bringing in former Canterbury Bulldogs man Daniel Suluka-Fifita, who’s due to arrive on Merseyside this week.
Saints chairman Eamonn McManus said: “He has won every honour with us and will go down as a legend of the club.
“I’m certain that he’ll keep on in that vein when he recovers from harm and that he will likely be giving completely the whole lot, as solely he is aware of how to, within the 2027 season.
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“Matty has had an ambition to play in the NRL for some time, and we respect that, particularly after so many years of putting his body on the line for us.
“He had an NRL break clause in his present contract for 2028 and, subsequently, in flip, he has proven respect to us by honouring his contractual obligations to the total.”