Konrad Hurrell has thanked St Helens as a club for taking a ‘gamble’ on him for this final year of his contract, a gamble that he admits ultimately hasn’t worked out.

After suffering a ‘serious’ neck injury in 2024, there were suggestions that the club would not renew his expiring contract but Saints took up another one-year deal and whilst he’s only played once in the Challenge Cup this season for St Helens, his off-field impact has been felt.

Young outside backs Harry Robertson and Owen Dagnall have taken significant steps with both players spoken about and touted for big futures by Hurrell, who spoke with club media to reflect on his time at the club.

He was officially deregistered from the club in late August as they signed Shane Wright from Salford Red Devils and with Hurrell thanked for his ‘understanding and help’.

The former Tongan international has now sat down with the club, in a video that can be viewed here, to discuss his time as a St Helens player with a major focus being on his injury, his gratitude, and his role in 2025.

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St Helens fan favourite Konrad Hurrell speaks on 2025 role

As referenced, Hurrell has only played once for St Helens this year as he made an appearance in the Challenge Cup when Saints took on West Hull. Since then, he’s spent time out on loan but he’s also been in and around the group with Hurrell accepting that his role changed.

He explained: “Being a professional and team rugby is not all about the field so I felt like my main focus is to work with the young boys and try to be the light off-field for the boys, give them a lot of s**t because it’s been a tough year but we got back to winning ways.

“I’ve tried to be around the young boys to show them how I started and showcase that there is opportunity.”

The 34-year-old only played 15 games in 2024 as injuries disrupted his season and they could have even brought about the end of his career with Hurrell explaining that it had been on ‘ongoing’ issue that became ‘too serious’.

He explained: “I went into a game, that was my last game, against Salford and I just lost the feeling in my legs and my shoulder. I played on that game and finished the game but it didn’t feel right.

“I was just trying to ignore it because I’d got used to the pain but I went into an MRI scan and it came back quite serious.

“At the time when the doctor told me the news, I literally just blacked out and luckily Millsy (physio) was there to calm me down and talk me through it.”

Konrad Hurrell recalls ‘dark place’ after surgery

As a result of that, Hurrell underwent surgery with his career on the line but he admitted that his ‘ego’ drove him to play on, with the centre expressing huge gratitude to St Helens for handing him a new one-year deal.

“I ended up having to have surgery on my neck,” Hurrell said, adding: “I think a lot of players have had it and come back but it was towards the end of my career so my ego didn’t want to finish up on that note.

“I tried my best to come back and I didn’t think I’d get another chance and contract but Wello and the club took a big gamble on me and I can’t say how thankful I am for the club.

“I was in a dark place but I was lucky my partner is there and my little one to get me through it.”

Hurrell added: “The last nine months haven’t been the best for me but at the same time, I was thankful for. I still get to put food on the table for my kids and family. They took a gamble on me and in some ways it didn’t work out but I’m thankful that I’m still around and doing my best to help the boys.”

On the boys and his teammates, he said: “Their journey is not over, mine is, but I’m still around the boys to help out and hopefully be in that group to lift the trophy at the end of the year.”

He also spoke lovingly towards the club’s fans with Hurrell being a genuine fan favourite and he explained why he is so generous with his time, after recalling his own childhood when he met members of the Tongan rugby union side.

In final comments that surmise why his connection was so strong with the fans and why he will go down as a club legend, Hurrell said: “I feel like players need to give back even two or three minute of our time to see one little kid be so excited to go to school and talk about it, because that’s what I did.

“I wanted to give back to the fans and if one kid takes that (excitement) then I’m happy with it, that’s the main reason.”

You can watch the full interview from SaintsTV with Konrad Hurrell here.