Brisbane Broncos reject Tristan Sailor’s request for immediate release to Super League club

The Broncos have blocked an immediate release request from one of their key backline cogs, despite the son of a club legend securing a lucrative offer from a rising overseas club.

Tristan Sailor has trained strongly during pre-season. Picture: Josh Woning

The Broncos have slammed the exit shut in front of fullback Tristan Sailor, rejecting a request for an immediate release from the son of a club legend.

Sailor looked bound for England in the lead-up to Christmas after securing a lucrative offer from rising Super League club Leigh Leopards.

The deal was contingent on Sailor being immediately released from his Broncos contract – which doesn’t expire until the end of 2025 after he signed a two-year extension last season.

However the Broncos decided they could not afford to lose Sailor, who was outstanding in four NRL appearances last year as reserve fullback.

That resulted in the club rejecting the request, with Sailor remaining at Red Hill and training strongly in the lead-up to the 2024 NRL premiership.

The son of Broncos great Wendell Sailor, Tristan resurrected his NRL career with the Broncos last season, having last played for the Dragons in 2020.

Tristan Sailor has trained strongly during pre-season. Picture: Josh Woning

He was sublime in his club debut for Brisbane team missing its Origin stars against the Warriors in New Zealand and registered wins against the Dolphins and Bulldogs while deputising for suspended fullback Reece Walsh.

Sailor, 25, made his fourth appearance in Brisbane’s final round clash against Melbourne, which the Broncos lost 32-22 after coach Kevin Walters rested the bulk of his best 17.

Sailor proved last year that he is probably too good to be languishing in reserve grade week-to-week behind Walsh and could have been a revelation in the Super League, not to mention boosting his coffers after spending a significant period out of the game.

But the Broncos decided he is an important figure in their premiership redemption quest following last year’s gutting grand final loss to Penrith and demanded Sailor honour his contract.

Tristan Sailor is contracted to the Broncos until the end of 2025. Picture: NRL Photos

Despite the rejection, Sailor hasn’t missed a beat at training and has regularly been one of Brisbane’s standout players on the paddock in opposed hit-outs.

He has been training strongly at fullback and will likely see more NRL action next season, particularly if Walsh reclaims the No. 1 duties in Queensland’s State of Origin team after missing last year’s final match due to suspension.

As part of his two-year contract extension with the Broncos, Sailor was upgraded from Brisbane’s development list to top 30 NRL squad for the 2024-25 seasons.