AUSTRALIAN publication the Wide World of Sports has claimed that a St Helens and Super League star is eyeing a move to the NRL following a stellar rise to stardom culminating in an England call-up for the recent Rugby League World Cup.
That star is reportedly Saints’ Joe Batchelor with theWide World of Sports claiming that: “Batchelor has employed an Australian agent and is keen to give the NRL a go in 2024 and beyond.”
Batchelor, who is now 28, is off-contract at the end of the 2025 season which would mean he would command a massive fee from any potential suitor, though Saints will be keen to tie him down longer due to his impressive performances in recent seasons.
The second-rower began his career with Midlands Hurricanes – formerly the Coventry Bears – debuting in 2016 before making the move to the then-named York City Knights.
There, he made 48 appearances in two seasons before being snapped up by Saints ahead of the 2019 Super League season.
Spending spells on loan at York and then Leigh, Batchelor finally poked his nose through into the St Helens’ first-team in 2021 following the departure of Zeb Taia and Dominique Peyroux.
The rest, as they say, is history with the 28-year-old becoming one of Saints’ most consistent and improved players in recent seasons, so much so that he earned an England call-up from Shaun Wane for the World Cup.
