SAINTS coach Paul Wellens is hopeful that on-song scrum half Lewis Dodd will remain in the red vee beyond 2024 - but the club are not rushing the scrum half into a decision.

The 22-year-old former Halton Farnworth Hornets Junior signed a two plus two year contract with Saints ahead of the 2023 campaign with the optional years in his favour.

It has been quite a rollercoaster for the half back since replacing Theo Fages in the number 7 shirt, who was still a teenager when he won a Grand Final winners' ring in 2021.

A torn Achilles wrecked his 2022 campaign, but he grabbed attention in Australia on his comeback when he nailed the Golden Point winner in Saints' World Club Challenge victory in Penrith.

The club are hopeful, that just like Jack Welsby, they will keep their crown jewels intact at Saints.   

Wellens said: "We certainly hope he will be staying.

”I've had a couple of conversations, but not too many, with Lewis and he knows what I think of him.

"It's important – and we said the same with Jack last year – that young players in particular take their time and don't rush into any decisions.

"And we as a club are here to support him in that it.

"But he knows what we think of him and hopefully when things get clear in his mind, where he wants to be playing his rugby and hopefully he decides it is here.

"But the conversations will continue to happen - not just between myself and Lewis, but obviously Lewis's management team and Mike Rush and Eamonn McManus and we hope those conversations end positively."

Like all clubs, Saints have players who are out of contract at the end of 2024 and May 1 becomes the date that they can talk to other clubs.  

"The majority of the squad is pretty set for next year," Wellens said.

"We are waiting on a couple of things that we hope to fall our way – but we are relaxed about the situation.

"And should things not go our way with any players’ decisions then we will adapt and look at where we can improve elsewhere.

"I have a lot of respect for all of our players here – and the fact that are allowed to take time and make their choices over their own futures.

"And we support them in that, although there does come a time where decisions have to be made."