The PNG Chiefs have capped off a dramatic day from Port Moresby by announcing the signing of Matty Lees.
The English international forward has played the entirety of his career with St Helens, but decided it was time to have a crack at the NRL.
The 28-year-old has made 199 appearances for the English club to date, and will being untold experience to the Chiefs, where he joins the already signed Jarome Luai and Alex Johnston, as well as Connor Watson, who confirmed his move to Port Moresby on Tuesday afternoon.
Lees will play out the 2027 season with St Helens, returning from a knee injury that has sidelined him for the remainder of 2026.
The Chiefs have not confirmed how many years the deal will run for with Lees, but Zero Tackle have left inquiries.
"Matty Lees is one of the toughest and most respected forwards in rugby league. He's built his career through hard work, consistency and an uncompromising approach to the game," the club's head of football Michael Chammas said.
"Those qualities are exactly what we're looking for as we build our roster and culture for 2028.
"We're delighted to secure Matty as Player 004 and look forward to seeing the impact he'll have both on and off the field."
The Chiefs have made it clear they want to compete from their inaugural season, and the signing of Lees, to go with the three already in the bank, sends an aggressive statement to the competition months before they are allowed to negotiate with players off-contract at the end of 2027.
To go with his 199 appearances for St Helens, Lees has 12 Tests under his belt for England, and St Helens chairman Eamonn Mcmanus said Lees will be missed, but has had a desire to play in the NRL for some time.
“Matty's commitment to the St.Helens' First Team and its successes has been immense over the last decade. He has won every honour with us and will go down as a legend of the Club. I'm sure that he will carry on in that vein when he recovers from injury and that he will be giving absolutely everything, as only he knows how to, in the 2027 season," the chairman said.
“Matty has had an ambition to play in the NRL for some time, and we respect that, particularly after so many years of putting his body on the line for us. He had an NRL break clause in his existing contract for 2028 and, therefore, in turn, he has shown respect to us by honouring his contractual obligations to the full.
“We will wish him and his family every success in his new adventure in Papua New Guinea when the time comes, but that is clearly some time away yet. There is much, much more for Matty to achieve with the Saints before then, and I'm confident that he will.
“Finally, we would like to put on record our appreciation of the professionalism and cooperation exhibited by the senior management of the PNG Chiefs in their dealings on this matter with our club.”
