Flannery to quit St Helens at end of season to return down under

St Helens' Australian forward Chris Flannery plans to retire at the end of the season to return down under.

Flannery, 31, who joined Saints from Sydney Roosters in 2007, will have done five and half years' service by the end of the current campaign.

He was part of four successive beaten Saints sides in the Grand Final.

But the big Aussie, who helped Saints beat Hull to win the Challenge Cup at Wembley in 2008, was injured for last year's Grand Final loss to Leeds.

More to follow.