Andrew Johns is urging the NRL to step in and block a possible Jesse Southwell transfer from Newcastle to Brisbane.
Rumours are swirling the younger gun NRLW halfback may be part of her former Knights premiership-winning teammate and Dally M winner Tamika Upton within the Queensland capital subsequent 12 months.
Southwell, 20, is the NSW Blues halfback and arguably essentially the most proficient playmaker within the ladies’s recreation. Johns has been singing her praises for years.
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And whereas rumours of her looming defection have been hosed down by the Knights and by her personal administration, they’re sufficient to place concern into Johns.
“The gulf between the Roosters and Brisbane to the underside groups is big. It goes Roosters, Brisbane, then slightly below them is the Knights, then it is a massive drop off,” Johns mentioned on Broad World of Sports activities’ Immortal Behaviour.
“If Jesse Southwell goes to Brisbane they’ll win each week by 40 or 50, and that’s being conservative. If she is in that crew nobody will get close to them.
Andrew Johns fears for the NRLW is Jesse Southwell joins the Broncos. 9
“It’s Jesse’s determination, however the NRL has to return in right here. If Jesse goes to Brisbane it’s possible you’ll as properly simply have one spherical, simply have a grand remaining – Brisbane vs. the Roosters.
“I simply hope she does not go. Take away my loyalty to Newcastle… for the nice of the competitors this cannot occur, as a result of they are going to be completely unbeatable.
“Her kicking recreation is miles forward of anybody else’s within the recreation… put that into Brisbane with their sturdy ahead, Tamika on the again, Julia Robinson… nobody goes to get close to them.
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“Each week they are going to be successful by 40 or 50 factors, which can be unhappy.”
The Knights halfback has choices in her contract for 2026 and 2027 however may reportedly entertain a transfer north if there was a proposal.
The prospect of her shifting to Brisbane will not sit properly with many Knights followers, in addition to followers of the broader competitors.
The Broncos dominated the early years of the NRLW, claiming the primary three premierships and the primary 4 minor premierships. They have been once more minor premiers final 12 months, solely to fall over within the finals.
League nice Ruan Sims does not wish to purchase into the rumoured Southwell transfer.
“Rumours are simply rumours till there may be any truth to again it up,” Sims mentioned on Broad World of Sports activities’ NRLW Weekly.
“My understanding is that her administration has come out and mentioned it’s only a hearsay.
“It must be one thing fairly important for her to interrupt two extra years of a contract. I do not like shopping for into it till there are some guts to it.
“If the hearsay was to be that the Broncos have been chasing her, why would not they? She is among the finest halves going round within the recreation. Her complete 12 months has been incredible.
“The Broncos are allowed to chase who they need. Jesse is allowed to go searching if she desires to, if she shouldn’t be breaking any contracts.
“I do know that Knights followers can be hurting as a result of they’ve misplaced actually good gamers. They’d be like, ‘Oh no, not one other one. We will not let one other one go’.
“I would not begrudge her if she selected to go some place else. That’s utterly as much as the participant, it’s as much as her.”
If Southwell is to make the transfer to the sunshine state, it will see her crew up with former teammate Upton within the Broncos jersey.
The Knights – who gained again to again NRLW premierships in 2022 and 2023 – additionally misplaced gun ahead Millie Elliott to the Roosters final 12 months.
