The RFL have awarded St Helens and England prop Matty Lees a Testimonial Year in 2026, recognising what will be his tenth season of service for the Club.
The Rochdale native has been at the Club since first joining our Academy at the age of 16 and has gone on to become an international-class forward, and one of the very best in his position in Rugby League.
An Academy 2015 Tourist, Lees progressed through in Saints' youth system and made his official St Helens and Super League debut in an away fixture at Wakefield in September 2017.
In the following two seasons, Matty established himself as a future important player for the Saints. In 2019, his performances were so impressive he was awarded Super League’s Young Player of the Year Award, despite having his season cut short due to injury.
The 27-year-old has played his part in the Red V’s Super League title-winning years from 2019 to 2022, with a Challenge Cup in 2021 and World Club Challenge in 2023 also on his record. In 2024, stepping up in seniority and leadership, he stood in as Captain. He finished off last season in Super League’s Dream Team selection, and the winner of three of the Club’s End of Season Awards – including Player of the Year.
Since making his official England debut in 2022, Lees has played nine times for his country, starting in seven of those, including all three games of the series whitewash over Tonga in 2023, and last autumn’s victories over Samoa.
In the early stages of this campaign, Lees agreed a new four-year contract extension, ending any speculation about his future and keeping him at the Totally Wicked Stadium until at least the end of the 2029 season.
So far, Matty Lees has played for St Helens 192 times across nine seasons, with 2026, his tenth, now confirmed to be his Testimonial Year.
On being granted his Testimonial Year, Matty Lees said: “It’s come around much quicker than I thought! I’m really looking forward to it, getting stuck into what we’ve got planned, and what will hopefully be a great year.
“This means a lot to me and my family, to have a Testimonial Year and a Testimonial Game too, it’s special. I just want to thank everyone who’s helped me get here. Mike [Rush – CEO], Eamonn [McManus – Chairman], all the coaching staff, and of course my family. My wife has been through so much with me, so to be able to celebrate this with her and give something back will be really special.
“This club is proud of players having Testimonials, we’ve had Morgan [Knowles] this year, Tommy [Makinson], Alex [Walsmley], and Jonny [Lomax] in recent years too, and I think it says a lot about Saints. It shows just how much this club means to players.
St Helens CEO, Mike Rush, added: “Matty has been a fantastic part of St Helens ever since he first joined us as a youngster.
“We are extremely proud that so many outstanding players at our Club have deservedly earned Testimonial Years, and we are delighted to see Matty become the latest.
“Watching him grow into the man he is today has been a privilege, and we are thrilled that he has been granted next year to celebrate not only what he has achieved on the field, but also the incredible work he has done off it in representing our local community.
“Everyone at the Club wishes him the very best for his Testimonial Year, and we encourage all of our supporters to get behind him and everything he has planned over the next twelve months.”
