Any NRL deal won't affect Saints' decisions - Ekoku

"It's potentially an exciting opportunity. I've been fortunate to see it from both sides so there are some things I can say and some I can't," he added.

"It would be nice to know more detail. I think that the NRL have run their competition very well. Everybody sees the benefit of having an alignment. Some alignments you actually think 'why didn't they have them many years ago?'

"We'd like to know more detail. Once that detail comes through then each individual club can review it and make some decisions and collectively as a sport, we can respond. But at the moment it's detail that's required."

Las Vegas 'has been a double-edged sword'

Ekoku said Saints would look to use whatever opportunity they could to grow their profile outside of their catchment area.

Rugby League Las Vegas, an event which brings NRL games and a Super League fixture to Nevada in order to grow the sport, has operated for the past two seasons.

Saints have not yet taken part in the solitary Super League fixture which is part of the event - with Wigan facing Warrington in 2025 and Leeds taking on Hull KR earlier this year - but Ekoku said no decision had yet been made on their participation.

"The position of Saints is that any opportunity to grow the club, we will explore those opportunities without a doubt. So whether that's in Vegas, whether it's in another part of the world, we'll do that. But it has to have sustainability at its core," he continued.

"From my perspective as a former neutral, the British clubs, the Super League clubs add significant value to Vegas and it's a great initiative. But it is an NRL initiative, it's not a Super League initiative, and there needs to be a little bit more investment from the NRL in order to make it commercially viable for the Super League clubs to continue doing it.

"What you can't do is something that is a loss leader from the outset. You want to make sure that there is sustainability.

"Each club that's gone has enjoyed the experience, but it's been a double edged sword for many of them as well."

Competition to recruit talent 'harder than ever'

St Helens are under pressure to attract talent from their near neighbours in Super League, such as rivals Wigan Warriors [SWPix]

Ekoku admitted that the pursuit of players is now harder than ever, with opportunities not just in the local area with other Super League clubs, but in other sports as well.

"Young talent is more valuable than it's ever been. It's more expensive than it's ever been as well. There's more competition locally," he added.

"Wigan and Warrington are doing some great things with their academy so we need to try and find a way of retaining our DNA but also growing on it as well.

"Those athletes are being eyed up by multiple sports. So the competition for talent is massively important and where rugby league sits within that pyramid, that's a challenge not just for us as a club but for the whole game because kids often want to do what they see."

As for whether the potential talent pool might also be tempted by a move to Australia, Ekoku was more relaxed about that prospect.

He continued: "The NRL is a bit of an aside, because they operate in a different hemisphere. But yes, it's an attractive competition that, from a lifestyle point of view, young players will always be attracted to go to.

"But when you're a top club, you don't really worry about that. There will always be a rumour about a player going here or there. That's not necessarily a bad thing. It means that we're doing something right, If you've got quality personnel on field, off field, you expect them to be desired."