Second row Sironen is the son of former Australia international Paul Sironen and is joining on a two-year contract with an option for a third. "I am very excited about the next chapter in my career and I couldn't have hoped to have signed with a better club," he said
Thursday 2 September 2021 14:48, UK
Curtis Sironen cannot wait to get started in Super League after his move to St Helens was confirmed, with the second row's two-year deal beginning next season.
The 28-year-old second row, who is the son of former Australia international and Balmain Tigers great Paul Sironen, will join Saints on a two-year contract with the option for a third year from Manly Sea Eagles.
Sironen will take the place of another ex-Manly second row in Joel Thompson, who is retiring at the end of the year, and spoke with him before agreeing to the next stage of his career in Super League.
"I am very excited about the next chapter in my career and I couldn't have hoped to have signed with a better club," Sironen said.
"Every Australian player knows that the Saints set the benchmark in the English Super League. I felt extremely comfortable from the get-go when speaking to [head coach] Kristian Woolf and [chief executive] Mike Rush and I even had an opportunity to chat to [assistant coach] Paul Wellens about the move.
"It was a very easy decision for me because I always wanted to play in England at some stage and I feel now is the right time to be making the move. My ex-Manly teammate Joel Thompson also told me some wonderful things about the club and its supporters.
"Obviously my focus remains on the Manly Sea Eagles and hopefully I can finish the season on a big note."
He is a big athletic, edge back rower with a very good skill set. Being a stand-off in his younger years he has a real good passing and second phase game, so he has all the attacking attributes to make a real impact for us next season.
Sironen began his career in the halves with Wests Tigers when he made his NRL debut as an 18-year-old in 2012, but switched to the second row the following season, making a total of 65 appearances and scoring eight tries before switching to Manly in 2017.
He has since racked up a further 65 appearance with 17 tries to his name for the Sea Eagles and St Helens head coach Kristian Woolf, who recently extended his stay at the club for another year, has high hopes for what he will add to the squad at Totally Wicked Stadium.
"He is a big athletic, edge back rower with a very good skill set," Woolf said. "Being a stand-off in his younger years he has a real good passing and second phase game, so he has all the attacking attributes to make a real impact for us next season.
"He knows how to play tough and has very good defensive ability so he will improve us. He knows Joel Thompson well and we know he is a real good person who will fit into the group. He likes his training, is very professional and diligent so he is exactly the type of player we want to recruit."
