Toohey's News: Gun recruiter is Knights' missing link

Just don't expect instant miracles from the club's latest high-profile recruit, Peter O'Sullivan.

Regarded as one of the NRL's premier recruitment officers, O'Sullivan has wasted no time getting to work on the Knights' playing roster after finalising a lucrative multi-year contract with the club following his departure from the Dolphins.

O'Sullivan, who has previously worked at a host of NRL clubs including the Roosters and Storm, was in town for his first day on the job on Wednesday. He's been handed the challenging task of helping turn Newcastle into a genuine premiership contender within the next few years.

"He's the best in the business and the final piece of the puzzle for us," Gardner told us.

"You've only got to look at what he has done at the Warriors and Dolphins with their rosters in recent times. He knows the player market better than anyone and he's got a great eye for talent. It's a great coup to get him here."

While O'Sullivan will be hamstrung to a degree by cap restraints for 2025, it's expected he will be heavily in the player market for 2026 come November 1. As of now, only 10 current players are signed beyond the end of next season.

The twists and turns have come thick and fast in the David Armstrong contract saga and they may not be over yet.

Knights officials are now privately discussing the possibility of seeking a transfer fee from English club Leigh if Armstrong goes ahead with an overseas move to the Super League after back-flipping on his decision to re-sign with the Knights.

The flying fullback/winger and his agent have been given some breathing space to mull over a final decision on his future before coming back to the club.

The saga has been full of intrigue for months. It started in the pre-season when the Knights refused overtures from Leigh to immediately release the 23-year-old. It continued several weeks ago when Armstrong dumped agent Paul Sutton and agreed to terms with the Knights on a new deal with replacement manager Warwick Wright. But that deal was ripped up when it emerged Sutton was still his legal representative.

Since then, Armstrong has made his NRL debut and been in a tug of war between the Knights and the Roosters for his signature

Two weeks ago, he rejected the Roosters' offer and agreed to stay at Newcastle. Significantly, his agent agreed in writing. But just days later, after Leigh re-emerged with a more lucrative offer, Armstrong changed his mind, telling the club he wants to go.

Sutton was in Newcastle last Sunday for the Penrith game. He was coy about what might happen but did tell us: "I haven't come across anyone yet who thinks it's a good idea for Davey to go to England."

Stay tuned.

The Knights are in the market for a new assistant coach following news Rory Kostjasyn will depart the club at the end of the season.

We're hearing the highly respected former premiership-winning hooker and his family will be heading north to link up with incoming Dolphins coach - former Knights assistant and interim head coach - Kristian Woolf at Redcliffe in 2025.

Newcastle's other assistants, Brian McDermott and Blake Green, have both signed new contracts with the club.

Kostjasyn, whose playing career was cut short after he suffered a serious throat injury during Knights' pre-season training in 2017, has basically been on the club's coaching staff since then. He was the club's NSW Cup coach in 2018 and 2019 under Nathan Brown before becoming a fully-fledged NRL assistant under O'Brien in 2021.

The Knights' struggle to rediscover their attacking mojo this season can be summed up in one sobering statistic.

After 15 rounds, Newcastle's wingers have combined for six tries this year. At the same time last season, they'd crossed for 25. Remarkably the Knights are marginally better placed on the ladder this year despite scoring 13 fewer tries at the corresponding time, mainly thanks to their defence.

Rd 15: Knights v Panthers: 3 Bradman Best 2 Dylan Lucas 1 Jackson Hastings

Standings: 12 Dane Gagai 10 Dylan Lucas 9 Kai Pearce-Paul 8 Kalyn Ponga 7 Bradman Best 6 Adam Elliott 5 David Armstrong, Leo Thompson, Tyson Frizell 4 Jackson Hastings 3 Phoenix Crossland 2 Enari Tuala, Greg Marzhew, Jayden Brailey 1 Brodie Jones, Jacob Saifiti, Fletcher Sharpe.