KONRAD Hurrell will wear the Saints number 3 shirt for the first time in 2025 – after the club announced that he has been passed fit to play and has penned a new one-year deal.

During his three seasons at Saints Hurrell has played 63 times and scored 26 tries, seven of which came in an injury-curtailed 2024.

That included his 100th career try in the Saints’ Good Friday win over Wigan.

Former Saints boss and current Tongan national coach Kristian Woolf was pivotal in not just recruiting Hurrell from Leeds – but also getting improvement from him after a disappointing 2021 at Headingley.

Hurrell immediately made an impact and became a crowd favourite and his first season with St Helens ended with a try at Old Trafford in the 2022 Grand Final victory over his former team.

The power-house centre also scored a try in the Saints’ historic 2023 World Club Challenge victory over Penrith Panthers.

Although he has been given the number 3, he knows he will have to be on his toes to keep it going into the new campaign.

But that is nothing new to his since he crossed the Pennines.

Hurrell said: “Since I've come into the Club, I had to compete, I had to fight for the number or the jersey, but I think this year is a bit more special because it's the boys that grew up in the Academy of the Club.

“They are very hungry for that number or that shirt, and I think it's more special to me to see that.

“These young guns are fighting for this jersey.

“They will never back down, they'll be in Wello’s ears for the whole freaking season too.

"So I’ve got to stay focused, just because I've got the number three doesn't mean your spot is cemented. Wello’s told us all that.”

Head Coach Paul Wellens never kept it a secret that he wanted Hurrell to stay, provided the health checks were okayed.

He said: “Koni has been a big part of what we’re about since he arrived, and I know he loves representing this club, pulling on that Saints jersey. It’s great that he can extend his time with us.

“It has obviously been a difficult period given his medical situation in recent months, but it is fantastic news that he has got that clearance to train and play again.

“I think we will see the best of Koni with competition for places as always, it’s the start of Pre-Season and a lot of hard work has to be done by everyone.

“I know he is determined to put in that hard work and deliver the best version of himself, if we get that we will be a stronger team with Konrad in it.”

The Tofoa-born centre made his senior debut with the New Zealand Warriors in 2012 and went on to play seven seasons in the NRL, moving to the Gold Coast Titans in 2016 before scoring for the World All-Star team in a win over the Indigenous All Stars.

Hurrell made a total of 116 NRL appearances scoring 55 tries.

Hurrell moved to Super League to join Leeds Rhinos ahead of the 2019 campaign and in his first two seasons with the Rhinos he was named in the Super League Dream Team twice, scoring 23 times in 55 matches whilst also being crowned a Challenge Cup winner in 2020.

On the international stage, Hurrell has also won 13 caps for his beloved country of Tonga, playing in the last three Rugby League World Cups for his home nation.