St Helens snap up Gidley

St Helens have confirmed the signing of former Australia Test centre Matthew Gidley on a two-year contract as a direct replacement for Super League Man of Steel Jamie Lyon.

Saints turned to the 29-year-old Gidley after Lyon announced he would be returning to Australia at the end of the year. He has signed a four-year deal with Manly.

Gidley, who won 11 Test caps from 1999 to 2004 and was a member of Australia?s 2000 World Cup-winning team, secured a release from the last year of his contract with the Newcastle Knights.

Saints chief executive Sean McGuire said: ?We?re delighted to be welcoming Matthew to the Saints for the next two seasons. He is a quality player with impeccable credentials and will be an exciting addition to our 2007 squad.

?He fits in with our long-term strategy of combining the very best home-grown talent with genuinely world-class talent from overseas.?

Gidley, who played 11 times for New South Wales in the Origin Series and made 213 appearances for the Knights after making his debut as an 18-year-old in 1996, will arrive in England in the autumn in time for Saints? pre-season training.

Source: superleague.co.uk