JOE Batchelor has signed a new three-year contract at Saints which will see the 27-year-old stay at the Totally Wicked Stadium until the end of the 2025 season.

The second rower joined the club initially on a three-year contract from York City Knights back in 2019, after helping them achieve promotion from League 1.

> Read more about why Joe Batchelor has chosen to extend his time as a Saint here

He went on to make his debut for the club that year against Hull FC after spending a majority of it out on dual registration at York City Knights and Leigh Centurions and made four appearances that season as the club went onto win the Grand Final against Salford at Old Trafford.

In 2020 he made another four appearances as Saints again went on to win the Grand Final, but 2021 under Kristian Woolf was his breakthrough season at the club, making 22 appearances and scoring three tries, as the club tasted a third Grand Final success in a row, beating Catalans at Old Trafford.

In season 2022, he was handed the number 12 shirt by former Coach Kristian Woolf, and has gone on to make another 29 appearances and had his best try-scoring season to date, scoring 12 times in a lethal edge partnership with Jonny Lomax.

An England debut followed back in June against the Combined Nations All-Stars and he was recently named in Shaun Wane’s England Rugby League World Cup squad and will hope to continue his strong form.