James Roby signs 2023 contract for St Helens RLFC

Saints captain James Roby has made a U-turn on his decision to retire at the end of this season and will continue to play in the Red Vee in 2023 after signing a one-year contract extension with his hometown club.

Hooker Roby will be 37 when he starts a record-breaking 20th season of Super League and the announcement of his new deal will be a spur for the team as they bid to land the League Leaders' Shield at Wigan tonight.

“I was aware that last year I said this was going to be my last and I was fully preparing for that," said Roby, who recently surpassed 500 games for Saints before breaking the all-time Super League appearance record held by another great, Kevin Sinfield, soon after.

"The more the season has gone on, I was thinking otherwise and I have thought about all the 'pros and cons' and I have had a lot of conversations with my family and my wife and we have got to the point where I am feeling good and confident with my decision.

“It is a great opportunity for me to stay involved, not only with this successful team, but in this organisation and the opportunity to be a rugby league player for another year.

The oldest (2004) and most recent pictures on file of Saints marvel James Roby. Pictures: SWpix.com

“If I didn’t feel it was right, I wouldn’t have signed as I have too much respect for this club.

"I am really looking forward to it and immediately after I made the decision, I got that fire back in my belly and I thought ‘we can do this’.

"I am really grateful and really thankful for the opportunity, and I am now looking forward to one more year in the Red Vee.”

Roby has been a one-club man since making his debut against Widnes in 2004, playing an incredible 518 times and scoring 116 tries.

He has won five Super League Grand Final rings, four Challenge Cups and a World Club Challenge.

Roby was also named Man of Steel in 2007 and has been named in the Super League Dream Team on six occasions.

Saints head coach Kristian Woolf said: “This is the biggest re-signing the club has made this year.

"We have all seen the level of footy he has been playing.

"He can still play long minutes every week and still has a real impact on the game with his skill set, his defence and of course his leadership.

"You only need to look at what he has done so far at the club and what he is doing on the field at the moment, his consistency, his leadership and the example he sets for everyone.

"This club is in the mould of him as a leader and we base our game around how he plays.

"His effort areas and the consistency of his effort is how we play here at Saints, and we are all delighted he will be with the club again next season.”

Saints chairman Eamonn McManus concluded: “It’s difficult to add anything new about James as he continues to amaze us all.

“It was always going to be his decision alone whether to retire or continue. We are just extremely happy that it’s the latter.

“There’s pretty much no records for him to break now except his own. We are simply privileged to continue to witness the great man perform at the very highest of levels.”