Brisbane has landed Newcastle Knights recruitment boss Peter O’Sullivan on a reported five-year, $2.5 million deal — the richest contract ever for an NRL recruitment chief — according to Fox League, citing Code Sports.
Fox League reported on Friday afternoon that the Broncos had won a bidding war with Parramatta for O’Sullivan after offering about $500,000 a season over five years. The story attributes the completed move to Code Sports. Neither Brisbane nor Newcastle had posted a club statement confirming the appointment at the time of writing.
Why Brisbane wanted him
O’Sullivan has been widely credited with shaping Newcastle’s rise to the 2026 grand final, after earlier roster-building stints linked to the Dolphins, Warriors and Roosters. Fox League noted he would reunite with Reece Walsh, whom he helped move from Brisbane to the Warriors in 2021.
Brisbane’s 2026 campaign finished well short of expectations after the club’s 2025 premiership, and long-serving recruitment boss Simon Scanlan has been moved into a strategic projects role, opening the door for a new list architect under coach Michael Maguire.
Knights lose a key architect
O’Sullivan was understood to be contracted at Newcastle into 2029 and earning around $350,000 a year, according to reporting summarised by Fox League. Earlier this week he told News Corp outlets he would decide within days after Brisbane’s approach, saying it was “flattering to have interest from a club like the Broncos” and that he had “a couple of options”.
Alex McKinnon, who works in pathways recruitment analysis at the Knights, last week called O’Sullivan an “incredible signing” for Newcastle in a foxsports.com.au column, praising him as a “real team builder” rather than a talent-only recruiter.
What it means next
If the reported deal sticks, Brisbane gains one of the competition’s most sought-after off-field operators ahead of the November 1 free-agency window, while Newcastle must replace the recruiter who helped assemble a grand-final squad. Parramatta, which was also linked to O’Sullivan, continues its own off-season reshaping after appointing Mike Rush as CEO and signing Spencer Leniu.
The Sporting Base will update this story if Brisbane or Newcastle issue an official confirmation.
More News
- Mike Rush Appointed Parramatta Eels CEO, Report Says
- Spencer Leniu Signs Four-Year Deal With Parramatta Eels
- NRL: Tyson Frizell Leaving Knights After Grand Final, Tigers Linked
- NRL: Cameron Munster to Test Open Market Over Storm Pay-Cut Offer
- NRL: Penrith Panthers Confirm Six Departures, Three Head to Perth
