Knights powerless to keep Southwell if she wants to join Broncos superteam

The Newcastle Knights are in real danger of losing homegrown young gun Jesse Southwell as soon as the end of the year, with the Brisbane Broncos very interested in signing her as the club’s long-term halfback.

The blockbuster move, which was first reported by Pamela Whaley for the Daily Telegraph, has put the rest of the league on red alert, considering how strong the Broncos already are.

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Southwell is signed with the Knights through to 2027, but currently carries player options in her deal for the next two years – meaning she could feasibly leave the Hunter at the end of the current campaign as a free agent. The Sporting Base understands that’s the most likely possibility, as it stands.

Brisbane’s very keen and would love to plug Southwell in over five-eighth Gayle Broughton.

No surprise why either: A northern swap for Southwell would set the Broncos up as an out-and-out title threat every season alongside the already near-unstoppable Sydney Roosters, who lead the comp undefeated right now.

The Knights are firmly third in the modern NRLW triumvirate, but would fall away without their seven.

And, the Broncos would likely leapfrog the Broncos; Southwell is undoubtedly the game’s best halfback right now.

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The Knights are adamant they don’t want Southwell to leave, telling Renee Valentine at the Newcastle Herald as much this week, but with Southwell holding the power with her POs, the Hunter organisation would be powerless to keep her beyond 2025 if the 20-year-old actually wants to leave her home team.