Sione Mata’utia update as St Helens coach addresses possible ‘u-turn’ on plans

St Helens coach Paul Wellens insists the club are still planning to be without Sione Mata’utia in 2025: despite the forward hinting he hasn’t 100 per cent decided on his future plans as of yet.

The Saints confirmed earlier this month that Mata’utia would be departing the club at the end of this season to return to Australia with his young family. He has been with the club for the last four seasons, having joined from Newcastle Knights at the start of the 2021 campaign.

But Mata’utia sparked hopes of a possible change of mind last weekend, after telling the Mirror that he was still trying to ‘win over’ his wife.

He said: “I don’t know. I’ve been still trying to win over the missus. But we have to give the club notice as well. I can’t just keep dangling in front of them. I’ll go back home and reassess my situation whether I retire or not. We’ll see how we go. But it’s all good.”

However, Wellens has poured cold water on any notion of Mata’utia seemingly changing his mind, with those comments from the forward unlikely to lead anywhere in terms of a change of heart.

Instead, the Saints coach stressed that their plans for 2025 remain unchanged: which means they still expect Mata’utia to return home as originally announced.

Wellens told Love Rugby League: “I think the flights are booked, and I wouldn’t want to argue with anyone on that front!

“We’re planning around Sione not being here next year. If by some miracle there was a change in thought process next year I would love for that to happen, but that’s not what we’re planning for right now.”

Any change in decision from Mata’utia would likely lead to a recruitment headache for the Saints, given how they have extensively planned for next year in terms of their overseas quota.

Should Mata’utia stay, one of the club’s existing overseas players would need to leave.

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