ST HELENS coach Derek Hardman believes it is important any recruitment being done now is with the future in mind.
Long-serving stars Jodie Cunningham and Emily Rudge have already announced they will retire at the end of this year, and with other senior members of the squad around a similar age, more could follow their lead in the next couple of seasons.
The club have already recruited young fullback Anna Dennis from Salford, and have now promoted Academy halfback Arabella Dahou to the first-team squad.
“We are certainly out there looking and trying to actively recruit,” said Hardman.
“It’s not because we want to change our squad now, but because we’re looking at the longer term as well.
“We have people who are retiring at the end of the year, so there is no point waiting until November to try and recruit players because that’s when pre-season starts.
“Even though we are still in season, we are looking ahead to 2027 because we do need to make sure we’re on the ball or we’ll get bitten. It’s about looking to the future.
“That’s why we wanted to get Arabella into our environment now and make sure she’s ready for when the season starts in 2027.
“Also, it’s becoming a competitive market out there, so we need to make sure we’re looking after our own talent because the last thing we want to do is develop these young players and then see them leave.”
Dahou enjoyed spells at Warrington Girls Community RLFC and Warrington Wolves, prior to joining the St Helens development set-up ahed of the 2025 season.
She sustained a leg fracture in the first game of the campaign and missed the rest of the season, but has impressed on her return to fitness this year and has been training alongside the senior squad for a number of weeks, impressing Hardman along the way.
“Arabella has been coming on a treat in the last couple of years,” he added. “She’s very mature for her age and the way she has come back from her injury has been exceptional.
“She’s done everything right and that has put her in this position where she’s signed at the club and we’re really proud of that.”
On her promotion to the first-team squad, Dahou added: “I’m so excited. It’s such a great opportunity for me to be around such talented players, and I can’t wait to learn more from them.
“It’s different to the Academy because you’re training with much more experienced girls and you learn so much from them, both tactically and about life in general.
“My first season here was really difficult, but now that I’m back playing and getting opportunities, I’m just trying to take every chance with both hands.”