Dolphins halfback Sean O’Sullivan believes the NRL’s newest outfit already has the talent to challenge for the premiership, as the club addresses the prospect of recruiting New Zealand star Dylan Brown.
Revelations emerged this month that the Parramatta sensation was shopping himself around, despite having an option to stay with the Eels until 2031.
Dylan Brown has reportedly been shopped around the NRL to test the interest in his services.Credit: Getty Images
Should Brown choose to switch, rival clubs are in line to tempt his services for 2026.
The Dolphins’ patience on the recruitment front has often connected them to big names coming off contract, but chief executive Terry Reader declared his faith in the club’s current group of playmakers.
O’Sullivan, who is off contract in 2025, was adamant he and fellow spine players Isaiya Katoa, Kodi Nikorima, Jeremy Marshall-King and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow could take the Dolphins to title contention.
“We have been playing together for a long time. You look at some of the top four teams and their seven, six, nine and one play together for long periods of time,” O’Sullivan said.
“Back at my old club of Penrith, they played together for a long time and grew up together. We are trying to build that here now. If we can all stay together and continue to compete hard, we will build those combinations.”
O’Sullivan has not bought into speculation regarding Brown, and was committed to securing his own future at the Dolphins and retaining his place in the halves, after starting the final two games of last season in the No.7 jumper.
“I’m more worried about what I am trying to do every single day, and trying to get better every single day. I can’t control who the club is linked to,” he said.
“I’ve had a couple of chats to my manager and am just trying to focus on what is going to help me in the near future.”
Sean O’Sullivan
“I am a foundation player here, and we are building something really good. Maybe I could have taken some easy options, but I’m glad I didn’t … I wanted to show I wanted to fight for something.”
Speaking as he announced Wahl as the Dolphins’ new partner, while also revealing a mural of its inaugural leadership group to hang outside Suncorp Stadium at home games, Reader expressed his belief that Brown would not leave the Eels.
(From left to right) Dolphins prop Mark Nicholls, Wahl managing director ANZ Shaun Geddes, Dolphins CEO Terry Reader, and centre Herbie Farnworth at the unveiling of the club’s mural.Credit: Nick Wright
He said retaining Dolphins players coming off contract in the coming seasons for the long haul – Tabuai-Fidow (2027) and Nikorima (2026) among them – was the priority.
“I think Dylan’s another where if a player is available, it seems the Dolphins are going to sign him. I’m not sure if we’ve got a different salary cap to everyone else,” Reader said.
“He’s contracted to Parramatta for seven years on a salary over a million dollars, so I can’t see him leaving Parramatta.
“We’ve had no formal chats. The way we’ve managed our salary cap, our biggest focus is on re-signing the players we have.
“When you look at the players we’ve got in that spine, we’re very comfortable with what we’ve got now. Our priority is to make sure we re-sign those guys, and we’re locking them up long-term.”
The Dolphins have invested heavily in Katoa as their long-term halfback. But having debuted as an 18-year-old, there was a thought he would benefit from playing alongside a marquee No.6 to ease pressure on him.
But Dolphins veteran Mark Nicholls believed Katoa’s third year would prove his making.
“I think coming into his third year, he’ll play his 50th game, and a lot of people in footy will tell you that you don’t sort of feel comfortable as a footballer until you’ve played 50 games,” Nicholls said.
“You forget how young he is because he started so young, but Issy’s a great footballer. I love him as a forward, he’s really calm, and you do forget how young he is.”
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