Lees and Saints to get clean slate - Rowley

St Helens prop Matty Lees' exit from the club at the end of the season will give both him and the club a clean slate to work from, boss Paul Rowley has said.

The 28-year-old England international will leave Saints to join new NRL franchise Papua New Guinea Chiefs, linking up with current Hull KR boss Willie Peters for 2027.

Lees is currently out for the rest of the season having undergone surgery on a serious knee injury picked up earlier in 2026.

"He's been very much deep into his rehabilitation and under the care of the medical team. Unfortunately in sport and in rugby, particularly with such an injury, you can feel quite distant," Rowley told BBC Radio Merseyside.

"It'll have been a tough time for Matty, the whole season will be.

"For his benefit and for ours, it'll be good to start next year with a clean slate in that respect and hopefully some better luck."

Lees has made almost 200 appearances for St Helens having joined them as a 16-year-old, making his senior debut at the age of 18.

The challenge of playing in the NRL, as well as its financial benefit, means he leaves with Rowley's blessing.

"The Papua New Guinea train motors on. What a great servant to the club he's been," Rowley continued.

"The lure of tax-free money by the bucket-load is not one to be sniffed at. It's a short career and everybody must make the most of it, so we wish him well in that and we hope he reaps the benefits of it, which will be two things.

"One, he'll be challenging himself in a different competition and different lifestyle, and two, he reaps the financial benefits as well, which I have no doubt that he will."