ST Helens back-rower Curtis Sironen has secured his Super League future after being linked with a move to the NRL.
Sironen will now be a Saints player until the end of the 2025 Super League season at least following the new two-year deal.
The 29-year-old Australian joined Saints ahead of the 2022 campaign and has found a home in St Helens after flying across the world to play his rugby and will head into his third and fourth seasons as a Saints player in 2024 and 2025.
In his first campaign with St Helens, the back-rower made 24 appearances, scored three tries, and established himself as a fearsome edge player with strong running and plenty of aggression in both defence and attack. Sironen helped the Red V return to Old Trafford to secure a fourth successive Super League title in what was his first Grand Final appearance.
2023 has seen Sironen continue his strong start with two more tries to his name and ten more match appearances, including starting and playing a pivotal role in St Helens’ historic World Club Challenge victory in Penrith back in February.
Discussing extending his time with Saints for a further two years, Sironen told saintsrlfc.com: “I’m over the moon! As soon as I got here, I fell in love with the club and the group of players and the fans, so I’m just honoured that I get to continue here for the next few years and hopefully have similar success to what I’ve already had here. I’m excited for the next few years.
“With the experience of the Grand Final last year and then going to Australia early this year, that togetherness of the Club and the success, it is something I’m chasing again. It was an easy decision for me.”
In a strong run of form for the Saints, Sironen is enjoying being in the club’s environment and believes it is the most enjoyable place he has played his rugby. Under Saints boss Paul Wellens, the culture of the team commands care and respect.
“There’s a good balance of older players and younger guys, they are just a great bunch of guys. You become great friends straight away and I think that helps when you are in tough games, and you look left and right and there are guys there who you genuinely care for and you respect. It pushes you to put in more effort and shows in the way we play, it’s in the DNA of the Club, how we turn up every week.
“Wello is ‘footy-smart’, so he’s helped me with parts of my game that I probably needed to work on. I’m really enjoying it, we love going to training every day and Wello has been great, and hopefully, we can get him some more success.”
Head Coach Paul Wellens spoke with delight about keeping Curtis Sironen until the end of 2025, telling saintsrlfc.com: “I couldn’t be happier that Curtis will remain a Saints player, since he joined he has been a real tower of strength for us, and he has the potential alongside the likes of Sione (Mata’utia) and Joe (Batchelor) to be the best back-rower in the competition.
“We feel that Curtis has developed as a player under us and adds real value to the group, on and off the field. A diligent professional who looks after himself and for us it was an absolute no-brainer to keep Curtis around, and we’re delighted he feels the same way.
“There’s very few like him in Super League, over here you don’t get too many 6ft 4′, 112-kilo back-rowers. Siro provides that bit of impact on an edge and he’s such a skilful player for a big bloke and to have that in your team is a real asset.”
