The Newcastle Knights have beaten St George-Illawarra to secure
rugby league’s number one recruitment guru Peter O’Sullivan.
O’Sullivan is the man who, alongside Wayne Bennett, built the Dolphins roster for their entry into the NRL to become such an overnight success story.
He has previously worked at Melbourne Storm, the Roosters and the New Zealand Warriors where he discovered and signed the likes of Greg Inglis, Israel Folau, Boyd Cordner, Latrell Mitchell and Joey Manu as unknown teenagers.
It is a significant signing for the Knights, a heartland rugby league franchise with a massive junior nursery and a potential development and pathways system that should be as strong as Penrith.
He is expected to leave the Dolphins straight away.
Two weeks ago O’Sullivan appeared certain to be heading to the St George-Illawarra Dragons after several meetings with coach Shane Flanagan.
But Knights coach Adam O’Brien and general manager of football Peter Parr convinced him to head to Newcastle.
Newcastle have a number of key players coming off contract next year including Great Britain imports Kai Pearce-Paul and Will Pryce.
Pearce Paul has been one of the buys of the year on the edge for the Knights this year.
They also have Jackson Hastings, Adam Elliott, Jayden Brailey, Leo Thompson, Jack Hetherington, Dylan Lucas and Thomas Jenkins free to negotiate with rival clubs from November.
O’Sullivan’s thoughts on Hastings will be of particular interest.
The Sunday Telegraph reported last weekend that the Knights had reached out to NRL 360 host Braith Anasta in regards to his halfback Lachlan Ilias, who has been granted permission to negotiate with rival clubs.
