'His love of the game kept him alive': Tributes flow for Canberra Raiders recruitment boss Peter Mulholland

The Raiders recruitment boss was still consumed by the game he loved up until his battle ended on Thursday. His illness was aggressive and debilitating, but Mulholland always seemed able to relegate it to the background despite endless hospital visits to be treated for the disease.

Indeed, the last time this reporter spoke with the 68-year-old he was strapped into a hospital bed being pumped full of drugs to try and keep the illness at bay.

"Sorry Pete, I'll ring you back later," I ventured.

"Don't be silly mate, I've got all the time in the world," he replied.

Rugby league was his passion, and a NSWRL life membership attests to that. He liked nothing more than discussing emerging talent in Canberra and further afield, who could one day make it as an NRL star with the Raiders.

"I feel the game and the love of his family kept him alive for a little while longer," Raiders coach Ricky Stuart said.

"He's a good person, he just loved the game and loved being around footballers, loved being around the administration of football, loved being around the game overall. He was just very, very passionate about it."

News came through of Mulholland's passing late on Thursday, just as the club was being engulfed by COVID which forced staff and players into isolation earlier this week.

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The outpouring of emotion in the minutes and hours after his death was immense and heartfelt.

"The game lost a good one today, rest easy mate," Raiders co-captain Jarrod Croker posted on social media.

Phil Gould described Mulholland as a man who was "very popular with all in the game".

Penrith premiership star Martin Lang, who played prop in the 2003 grand final win when Mulholland was at the club, said: "Rest In Peace Peter Mulholland. A wonderful person ... this is extremely sad. He genuinely cared for every player he came in contact with."

The tributes also flew in from around the world, with Englishman and ex-Raiders forward John Bateman posting: "Rest easy big fella. Thanks for the opportunities you gave me mate".

Bateman is a prime example of the legacy Mulholland leaves behind at the Raiders.

He was one of several Englishmen brought into the club after Mulholland joined the Raiders in 2015 - a list including Elliott Whitehead, Ryan Sutton and George Williams alongside Bateman.

Plundering talent from the United Kingdom was a creative NRL strategy, and played a major role in helping Mulholland and Stuart develop a roster which could challenge for the premiership.

"He was quite instrumental, having his contacts and nose in the joint over in England ... through his contacts with the managers, contacts with people who scout for him," Stuart said.

"It was instrumental in picking up information and getting the background feed on how they're playing, what type of people they were. [He was] absolutely instrumental towards what's been a very successful exercise."

But it was closer to home where Mulholland did his best work, and a quick look at the Raiders' top 30 NRL squad is testament to how much knowledge he had in the game.

His scouting network stretched as far as every player from under-17s and up at every NRL club. The likes of Seb Kris, Harley Smith-Shields, Xavier Savage, Matt Timoko, Semi Valemei and Trey Mooney are all a part of the Raiders' top squad due to Mulholland's dedication.

He was also a mentor to Raiders staff, none more so than Joel Carbone who worked closely with Mulholland in the recruiting department over the past three years.

So much has Carbone grown under Mulholland, he was recently appointed coach of the club's NSW Cup side.

"It was a great mix with Joel Carbone and Peter, because Peter had a great eye and gut, and Joel's learning that along with his analytical detail," Stuart said.

"It's been quite a significant bonus for us in how we have been recruiting. He has really put the club in a good position in regards to the depth of our youth coming through the ranks."