Less than 12 months after becoming the third player in NRL history to be given permission to train with a first-grade side and players over the age of 18, Kingston Seve is understood to have been given an immediate release by the Newcastle Knights on compassionate grounds.
At just 17, Seve had already made an impression on the Knights when recruitment boss Peter O'Sullivan went out of his way to bring him in from the Dolphins, where he had grown up.
O'Sullivan had previously recruited Seve to the Dolphins, with the young centre having already attracted interest as a kid from the Brisbane Broncos, Gold Coast Titans, South Sydney Rabbitohs and Wests Tigers.
Seve turned 17 on November 29 last year, meaning he had a full year of training against grown men before most junior players would even be eligible to do so.
The Knights were granted permission for him to train at that level though by the NRL, even if he isn't allowed to play in the NRL as yet, with Justin Holbrook pushing hard for the decision to be made.
News Corp are now reporting however, just a week after staring at the Australian Schoolboys championships, he has been released on compassionate grounds to return to Queensland.
The rising star has featured for the Knights at Jersey Flegg level this year, with that team sitting in second spot on the ladder only behind the might of the Penrith Panthers.
He also played for Queensland under-19s this year.
In giving him permission to train with the NRL squad at the age of 17, Seve was elevated to a club that was until then shared by Jason Taumalolo, who has gone to have an exceptional career with the North Queensland Cowboys, and Joseph Suaalii, who code-hopped his way back to rugby union, but hasn't shut the door on a potential future return to the NRL.
Like Suaalii, Seve can also play rugby union, and it's now unclear where his plans lie as he moves back to Queensland, although the Dolphins, Broncos and Titans are all sure to be in talks with him given his enormous talent.
