Alex Walmsley: St Helens prop signs new two-year contract extension

[josie andrews]

St Helens prop Alex Walmsley has signed a new two-year deal to remain with the Super League club until the end of the 2026 season.

The 34-year-old made his Saints debut in 2013 and has gone on to make 278 appearances for the club.

He has won five Super League titles, four League Leaders' Shields, the Challenge Cup and World Club Challenge.

"I'm really happy, it's been something that's been in the pipeline for a while," Walmsley told the club website.
"To get it finalised, sorted, and announced I'm pleased. I am happy and excited for the next two and a half years.

"Fourteen years at Saints is a long time and I've had some fantastic times over those over the years so far, and I am sure there's going to be some great times still to come."

Walmsley has made six England appearances and four for Great Britain on the international stage, and has also been named in the Super League Dream Team four times.

He has played eight games for St Helens so far this season.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/68801156

[Mike]

Past it now. No NRL interest, he missed his chance.

[Barney841]

Past it now. No NRL interest, he missed his chance.

Still goes alright for me.
Maybe not NRL standard anymore, still a handful in SL.

[keptinthedarkfans]

Past it now. No NRL interest, he missed his chance.

Still goes alright for me.
Maybe not NRL standard anymore, still a handful in SL.

Your right still one of best in sl. Good player.

[Charriots Offiah]

He is but his powers are decreasing and will continue to do over the rest of his contract.

[fozzie58]

Still a hell of a player one you don’t replace easily still plenty of gas In The tank

[Charriots Offiah]

Still a hell of a player one you don’t replace easily still plenty of gas In The tank

Saints have fallen into the trap, keeping players past their sell by date.

[fozzie58]

Still a hell of a player one you don’t replace easily still plenty of gas In The tank

Saints have fallen into the trap, keeping players past their sell by date.

Not sure he is mate and more over who would they replace him with? its not just the fact hes still a quality prop its the experience they'd lose having already lost Roby last season and it seems likely that Makinson is off too all about managing the decline I think.

[Charriots Offiah]

Still a hell of a player one you don’t replace easily still plenty of gas In The tank

Saints have fallen into the trap, keeping players past their sell by date.

Not sure he is mate and more over who would they replace him with? its not just the fact hes still a quality prop its the experience they'd lose having already lost Roby last season and it seems likely that Makinson is off too all about managing the decline I think.

I’m not singling out Walmsley I am talking about Saints approach in general to retaining players who are 30+. They have got a problem waiting down the line. It is quite easy to replace overseas players but finding British talent to replace Makinson, Lomax, Walmsley et al is a challenge.

[fozzie58]

Saints have fallen into the trap, keeping players past their sell by date.

Not sure he is mate and more over who would they replace him with? its not just the fact hes still a quality prop its the experience they'd lose having already lost Roby last season and it seems likely that Makinson is off too all about managing the decline I think.

I’m not singling out Walmsley I am talking about Saints approach in general to retaining players who are 30+. They have got a problem waiting down the line. It is quite easy to replace overseas players but finding British talent to replace Makinson, Lomax, Walmsley et al is a challenge.

I’ve never been one for getting rid of a player just because he’s advancing in years but the management of the turn over at times needs to be ruthless and even when Wellens took over I said the changing of th guard would be his acid test,to me he’s taking the approach of letting at most a couple of senior players go at a time and that’s the conservative way of doing things to me that squad is ageing badly yet is still clearly doing a very good job in SL.


I notice Roby stuck around at saints he never seemed all that interested in the coaching side but probably realised RL is all he knows and is getting on with learning the coaching side of things be interesting to see if they see him as a future coach down the line