St Helens have announced the signing of Nene Macdonald, who follows head coach Paul Rowley in moving to Merseyside from Salford Red Devils.
Veteran Papua New Guinea international Macdonald has spent the last two seasons with Rowley at Salford, and was among the last players officially remaining with the Red Devils as their liquidation was confirmed earlier this month.
The 31-year-old had been expected to join the ever-growing contingent of Kumuls in the capital and form part of Jason Demetriou’s new-look London Broncos side in the Championship.
But he will now remain in Super League next season having put pen to paper on a two-year deal with Saints.
Nene Macdonald makes shock St Helens move as Paul Rowley connection bears fruit
As he moves to the BrewDog Stadium, Saints will become the fifth club Macdonald has represented in the British game – after Leigh, Leeds, Salford and Oldham.
His short Oldham stint came in a loan earlier this year while being unable to be registered by Salford amid their financial crisis.
Inking a contract until the end of 2027 with the Red V, the versatile back said: “I can’t wait.
“When I first came over to England, Saints were winning everything and known for being such a huge club, so to be able to come and join a big club with such history is really exciting.
“It feels like a fresh start with the new coach and new players, big players too, and I’m looking forward to helping get Saints back on top.
“He (Rowley) is a great coach and manages me really well to get the best out of me. I’ll give my best for Saints and for him.”
Port Moresby native Macdonald played in the NRL for Sydney Roosters, Gold Coast Titans, St George Illawarra Dragons, north Queensland Cowboys and Cronulla Sharks.
Having joined Leigh ahead of their promotion-winning Championship campaign in 2022, he’s now approaching the landmark of 300 career appearances.
Newly-appointed Saints boss Rowley – who has handed him shirt number 25 – added: “Nene is a player who I’m confident will bring excitement and added quality to the BrewDog Stadium in 2026.
“To be able to bring a player of Nene’s calibre to the club at such a late stage is a real boost to our squad and testament to the ambition and support of Mike Rush (CEO) and the board.
“It’s important for me to thank the club publicly for their support of myself and the team, as it’s very much appreciated.”
