Laffranchi leaving Saints for NRL role

St Helens forward Anthony Laffranchi has confirmed that he is heading back to the NRL, to take up a development role with the Gold Coast Titans.

The player is still prepared to weigh up any offers which might come his way in terms of a playing deal, however.

“It’s going to be my last season here at the Saints,” he said.

“Saints are pretty well stacked, and they’ve got a good group of forwards coming through, the young fellas and the guys that they’ve signed over the last couple of years.

“So I’m probably going to head back to the NRL. I’ve got a position at the Gold Coast Titans in development and welfare.

“So there’s a role back there waiting for me to take it up. At the moment, that’s where I’ll be going but if something changes over the next month or so with playing-wise, then I’ll weigh it up and see what happens.

“But we’ll probably be relocating back to Australia.”

The role itself will revolve around Laffranchi advising players, as well as looking to develop the sport as a whole in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales.

“It’s round the game development and welfare with the playing group, and with the young kids as well,” he explained.

“So I’ll do a bit with the junior development, and the development of the game up there in the Gold Coast and the Northern Rivers.”

Meanwhile, Laffranchi is looking to end his career at Saints with a Grand Final victory, something which will be a nice way for him and possibly several other players to bid farewell to the club.

“That’s the plan, we’ve been building nicely all year,” he added.

“There’s a few guys moving on from the club, Sia Soliola as well, and potentially a couple of others.

“So out of this playing group, not all of us are going to be playing with each other any more.

“For that side of things, it would be a special occasion, and for the club as well we’re looking to get some silverware back in the cabinet at Langtree.”