St Helens could look into the recruitment market to replace star prop Matty Lees, boss Paul Rowley has revealed.
Lees went down in the opening minute of the Challenge Cup semi-final defeat to Wigan Warriors last weekend, and it has since been confirmed that he will miss the rest of the season.
The England international already missed 10 weeks to begin the year, going down in the opening game of the season against Workington. He only managed to feature in a total of five games in 2026, including the minute-long stint against Wigan.
With a big body like that going down and such a hefty chunk of the season to go, Saints could be tempted to bring in new additions to bolster their middle unit.
However, decisions and discussions have only just begun, with the turnaround from the Challenge Cup loss to the Round 11 tie against Huddersfield – five days – leaving little room for the Red Vee to sit down and converse.
That being said, Rowley is open to the idea of bringing a fresh face in, be that on loan or permanently.
“We’ll have a look and I’ll have some discussions here at the club, but we’ve not had them yet, the Saints boss said prior to the game against the Giants.
“It’s been a short turnaround, as we’ve alluded to, so discussions have been not as forthcoming as they would have been if we’d have had more time to do that.
“We’ll get this game out of the way, and then we’ll settle into it and have our usual chats, which are always ongoing and fluid in, like, every situation.”
Brodie Croft’s Leeds Rhinos exit & Hull FC’s unwanted record – click here to watch the latest episode of the Serious About Rugby League Show
St Helens boss discusses Matty Lees replacement options
Should the Red Vee look to keep their squad as is, one man who will need to step up to being a regular starter is George Delaney.
With David Klemmer and Alex Walmsley both used as impact and destructive players, Saints need to pair that with more of a ball-playing, lighter, more mobile prop – something which Lees did excellently.
Still only 22, Delaney has played 89 times for his hometown club, and it’s easy to forget how he is still developing given how long he has been in and around the Saints first team.
Noah Stephens, who missed the win over Huddersfield due to a HIA, is another expected to play increased minutes, whilst the club have unearthed another promising forward in Jake Davies over the past month, though he has not featured in the last two.
