St Helens stalwart Jonny Lomax will retire at the end of the Super League season at age 36.
Rugby league loses one of its most enduring competitors as St Helens icon Jonny Lomax confirms he will call time on his playing career at the conclusion of the current campaign. The 35-year-old has been sidelined since fracturing his jaw in June against Warrington Wolves, but his legacy in the red vee is already firmly secure after two decades of service.
Two Decades in the Red Vee and International Honours
Lomax’s journey with St Helens began long before his senior bow, having originally joined the club’s youth system at age 11 after starting out as an Orrell St James junior. He progressed through the academy ranks before then-coach Mick Potter handed him his First Team debut in 2009.
Over the next 20 years, Lomax amassed 388 appearances for St Helens, pushing his total career appearances past the 400 mark earlier this season. Across those matches, he notched 142 tries, kicked 131 goals, and slotted seven drop goals for a total of 837 points. His trophy cabinet includes five Super League Grand Final victories—featuring a run of four consecutive titles between 2019 and 2022—alongside four League Leaders’ Shields, a Challenge Cup in 2021, and a World Club Challenge triumph in 2023.
On the international stage, Lomax earned 11 caps for England, highlighted by an appearance in the 2017 World Cup final against Australia, and represented Great Britain four times.
Overcoming Severe Physical Tolls and Injuries
While Lomax’s skill earned him three selections in the Super League Dream Team and the Harry Sunderland Trophy in 2022—achieved while playing the bulk of that season with a ruptured bicep—his career is equally defined by his refusal to yield to relentless injuries.
Jonny Lomax of St Helens stated that he would retire at the age of 36, expressing gratitude for the life the game had given him and knowing he had given it everything he could, with the scars to prove it, including 19 operations with 12 of those being on his knees by the age of 26, though he still felt lucky despite it all.
St Helens Chairman Eamonn McManus praised that resilience, noting that Lomax’s constant battles against severe physical hurdles set him apart from even the game’s elite.
Eamonn McManus, St Helens Chairman, asserted that Jonny would undoubtedly go down as one of the all-time greats of the great St Helens club, noting that his talent, commitment, and achievements were clear for all to see over an incredible 20-year period of unparalleled success for the Saints, but emphasizing that it was his continuous fights against the severe physical and emotional challenges of so many serious injuries that set him apart from even the greatest of players.
McManus famously dubbed Lomax the bravest of the brave in the bravest of sports. Even in his final season, Lomax battled through a dislocated wrist and a shattered jaw.
Reflections on a Boyhood Dream Fulfilled
Reflecting on his time in rugby league, Lomax recalled his early days watching from the stands at Knowsley Road before living out his ambitions on the pitch.
Jonny Lomax of St Helens reflected that over the last 20 years, he had been able to live out a boyhood dream and achieve far more than he could ever have imagined.
He also expressed profound gratitude to the coaches, teammates, and family members who supported him through some seriously shit moments too
behind the scenes of his glittering career.
St Helens Playoff Push and What Lies Ahead
As Lomax prepares to hang up his boots, his club faces a high-stakes finish to the domestic campaign. St Helens currently sits seventh in the Super League with three regular-season games remaining.
The Saints trail reigning champions Hull KR by two points, whom they are scheduled to face in the final match of the regular season. The team is fighting to secure a top-six finish and avoid missing the Super League play-offs for the first time.
