Morgan Knowles is set to be reunited with his former St Helens head coach after agreeing a switch to NRL side Dolphins from next season.
The 28-year-old loose forward flourished during Kristian Woolf’s time in charge at Totally Wicked Stadium, being an integral part of what proved to be a trophy-laden period for the club.
Now he will link up with Woolf again at the Brisbane-based Dolphins after agreeing a two-year contract from the start of next season, although it was an agonising decision for Knowles.
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“My decision to move on is not something that I took lightly,” Knowles said. “When the opportunity came up, I did not wish to regret anything when the time comes to retire.
“I didn’t want any ifs, buts, or maybes in my mind, and it’s an opportunity for my family to experience a different way of life too.
“However, it is really hard because I believe in this group we have at Saints and that this year, and in the years ahead, we are going to continue competing for trophies.
“I know there is success on the horizon. To step away from all my friends and such a good place to play, it is extremely hard.”
The Barrow-born back row is in his 11th season with St Helens, having joined as a 15-year-old scholarship player from community club Barrow Island.
He made his professional debut in 2015 and has racked up over 200 appearances for Saints over the past decade, along with being capped by both Wales and England at international level.
Knowles has tasted Betfred Super League Grand Final glory four times in that period, with three of those triumphs coming under Woolf’s stewardship, along with Challenge Cup and World Club Challenge success.
Woolf, who succeeded Wayne Bennett as Dolphins head coach ahead of the 2025 NRL campaign, believes Knowles has all the attributes to make just as big an impact in Australia.
“Morgan is one of the hardest-working players I have had the privilege to deal with,” Woolf said.
“His four Super League titles and one Challenge Cup victory prove that he knows what it takes to win and is just the kind of player we want here at the Dolphins.”
