Sack Adam O'Brien

[Apey]

Problem with that is there's a dearth of great halfbacks in the game right now. Besides Cleary and Hughes the rest are 1 - 2 years away from retirement. Its why we're throwing 13M at Dylan Brown who is an above average 5/8 at best.

 

[Alex28]

The junior development we have put in over the last few years is still a few years away yet - we have 5 reps in U18 City v Country, and 7 reps in U16 City v Country this weekend. The future looks great, but it’s a little while away.

Knightside’s post is pretty spot on. He had been great for us, but he has run his course and it’s time for both AOB and the club to acknowledge that.

in saying that, it is not as disastrous as some are making it out to be. We have the core of a great long-term first grade team there, with a flow of juniors coming through in the next 5 years. A self fulfilling squad similar to the Panthers is on its way, but not yet.

I think he would have value overseeing the junior development (how Best, Lucas and Sharpe have kicked on as first graders under him has been great), however I suspect he has greater ambitions than that.

 

[Loose Cannon]

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AeA8tmfmd/?mibextid=wwXIfr

 

[mozza91]

It's 90% locked in and the elite recruiter is bringing in players like Annan and Will Sullivan who look miles off first grade.

Parr signed Annan.

 

[ryan.a87]

Correct me if I’m wrong

yes he has the 2’il payout figure

but doesn’t he have a clause in his contract that we need to finish 12th of higher?

or was that just a once off thing to earn a 2 year extension?

 

[Loose Cannon]

Correct me if I’m wrong

yes he has the 2’il payout figure

but doesn’t he have a clause in his contract that we need to finish 12th of higher?

or was that just a once off thing to earn a 2 year extension?

That clause was ‘24 results to enact a 2027 extension. Brilliant move.

Who knows what other gems are in his deal.

 

[slotmachine]

Parr signed Annan.

He is a Merewether Carlton junior and one of the hottest prospects in Australian rugby. Now Taj Annan is set to join the Newcastle Knights.

Annan is understood to have agreed to terms with the Knights and will be part of the NRL club’s top 30 when they assemble for preseason training in November.

Recruitment guru Peter O’Sullivan identified the utility back, who can play anywhere from five-eighth to fullback.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

The time for a decision from the club’s power brokers is now. We’re in a hole and it keeps getting deeper and if the board or whoever makes the decisions sits on their hands we’re just giving ourselves less time to prepare for next year.

Sack AOB, pay him out, then put whoever in as a caretaker then start a rigorous process for recruiting a new head coach immediately. This gives us the maximum timeframe for preparing for 2026. If AOB stays on then the whole stink around the club and all the media crap just continues and that will have an impact on recruitment, especially if the coach of the under performing team is still there. There’s no way any good players will want to come here if we’re at the bottom of the ladder and our coach is under pressure every week. At least with a new coach confirmed in the coming months we can make some proper recruitment plays and any potential signings know who they’re going to be coached by. Right now I wouldn’t blame any possibly targets for giving us a wide berth.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

Also the assistants need to go too. Blake Green has had a few years as our attacking coach and aside from the miracle run of the back half of 2023 our attack has been abysmal.

McDermott hasn’t necessarily done much wrong and our defence has been out strong suit (until recently) but he’s part of the underperforming regime and needs to be let go too. We need new voices for the playing group to listen to.

 

[ryan.a87]

If we don’t get a good new coach now, we will miss out…..Bears are sniffing around now for a coach, and PNG will be looking very very soon

don’t know who’s available…..but we need someone asap

 

[Mr_Knightside]

Also as far as possible candidates are concerned I’d be looking at John Morris. He got a raw deal at the sharks and did a pretty decent job with a post-Flanagan/post-scandal/post-premiership roster and at least showed he could coach a fairly sub-par roster (which he would have to do here) and at least that team could attack better than what we’re seeing here.

He’s also young enough to have some pretty modern ideas and has been in a lot of systems and done a good apprenticeship as an assistant at multiple clubs. He’s got a couple of years of NRL head coaching experience under his belt too which would serve him well.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

Also Brad Arthur is a good shout but it sounds like he’ll end up in Perth so I’m not really confident about him as an option.

 

[ryan.a87]

Isn’t Brad Arthur best mates with AOB?

dont think he’ll take the job knowing AOB would get the sack

John morris is a good shout, would take him or Arthur

any other candidates?

 

[Old dog]

If we sacked AOB now and McDermott took over while we looked for a coach Arthur would be silly to not consider us

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Apparently the Knights board are having an emergency meeting Monday morning in regards to AOB's future...

 

[perverse]

I don't get why people don't understand that when there's problems with the team, it's the coaches job to fix them. Yes, players and whatnot have been issues - but who is in charge? Does anyone understand that there is a chain of responsibility and as far as on field performance goes - it's the head coach where the buck ends? People say it's not his job to catch the ball. Sure, but it's his job to get the team mentally prepared to do so. He doesn't have the cattle? Alright, well at least get the most out of the ones you have. Coach the players. COACH THEM!! The only evidence of his coaching we ever seem to have is the same boring tactics we've rolled out for 6 seasons now. Horrible, negative football that seems to just depress our players more often than not.

Why are there still people so desperate to deflect the blame for this mess elsewhere? This is year 6 and nothing we're doing on the field is surprising to any of us any given week. It's the same old shit year after year. How is the coach not a huge part of the problem? Why defend it? Is it just some sort of sunk cost fallacy because you've defended this crap for so long? We all get shit wrong, but for the love of god just believe your eyes! You are completely overcomplicating what has become a very simple issue. The coach has us playing a shit, outdated and unsuitable brand of football. He's clearly losing or lost the dressing sheds completely - and rightly so because his philosophies do not work. I wouldn't believe in him either.

And you know what our administration is very much to blame too. Our squad is shallow (not an excuse for the cattle we do have playing f**king awful, but it isn't helping either), and we've accepted mediocrity from the top for too long. The biggest sin was obviously the coaches latest contract, mind boggling.

But yes, this situation is very much the coaches responsibility and yes it is time for him to go and for us to get some fresh ideas in the place. We are stale and rotton and going nowhere fast. The administration can play its role now in identifying this obvious fact and acting accordingly. We don't deserve this as a fan base. We've eaten this shit sandwich for far too long and the club just can't keep accepting it as the norm. We're taking this show to Vegas in less than 12 months for f**ks sake. Unbelievable.

 

[perverse]

Apparently the Knights board are having an emergency meeting Monday morning in regards to AOB's future...

I guess all the green fees for the weekend were paid in advance and non-refundable. Christ almighty. Just do it you pussies.

 

[Woosh]

Knight Old Boys at the ground were filthy with the team’s display for old man’s 300th.
O’Brien will be gone within 2 weeks.

 

[aqua_duck]

The junior development we have put in over the last few years is still a few years away yet - we have 5 reps in U18 City v Country, and 7 reps in U16 City v Country this weekend. The future looks great, but it’s a little while away.

Knightside’s post is pretty spot on. He had been great for us, but he has run his course and it’s time for both AOB and the club to acknowledge that.

in saying that, it is not as disastrous as some are making it out to be. We have the core of a great long-term first grade team there, with a flow of juniors coming through in the next 5 years. A self fulfilling squad similar to the Panthers is on its way, but not yet.

I think he would have value overseeing the junior development (how Best, Lucas and Sharpe have kicked on as first graders under him has been great), however I suspect he has greater ambitions than that.

We’ve got decent juniors for a while to be honest, Flegg lost a grand final to an Isaiya Katoa field goal in 2022, both SG Ball and Mats also made the GF in 2023 but unfortunately guys just don’t seem to kick on after Flegg and I think a big part of that is not having a strong nsw cup program.
We know there’s a big step up from age grade footy to playing against men, when you try to take that step up in a side that is used to losing it makes that transition even more difficult

 

[Apey]

I don't get why people don't understand that when there's problems with the team, it's the coaches job to fix them. Yes, players and whatnot have been issues - but who is in charge? Does anyone understand that there is a chain of responsibility and as far as on field performance goes - it's the head coach where the buck ends? People say it's not his job to catch the ball. Sure, but it's his job to get the team mentally prepared to do so. He doesn't have the cattle? Alright, well at least get the most out of the ones you have. Coach the players. COACH THEM!! The only evidence of his coaching we ever seem to have is the same boring tactics we've rolled out for 6 seasons now. Horrible, negative football that seems to just depress our players more often than not.

Why are there still people so desperate to deflect the blame for this mess elsewhere? This is year 6 and nothing we're doing on the field is surprising to any of us any given week. It's the same old shit year after year. How is the coach not a huge part of the problem? Why defend it? Is it just some sort of sunk cost fallacy because you've defended this crap for so long? We all get shit wrong, but for the love of god just believe your eyes! You are completely overcomplicating what has become a very simple issue. The coach has us playing a shit, outdated and unsuitable brand of football. He's clearly losing or lost the dressing sheds completely - and rightly so because his philosophies do not work. I wouldn't believe in him either.

And you know what our administration is very much to blame too. Our squad is shallow (not an excuse for the cattle we do have playing f**king awful, but it isn't helping either), and we've accepted mediocrity from the top for too long. The biggest sin was obviously the coaches latest contract, mind boggling.

But yes, this situation is very much the coaches responsibility and yes it is time for him to go and for us to get some fresh ideas in the place. We are stale and rotton and going nowhere fast. The administration can play its role now in identifying this obvious fact and acting accordingly. We don't deserve this as a fan base. We've eaten this shit sandwich for far too long and the club just can't keep accepting it as the norm. We're taking this show to Vegas in less than 12 months for f**ks sake. Unbelievable.

If one player is having a stinker it's on the player. If most of your players are performing below the standard they are capable of, for example your whole backline is making multiple errors a game, it's obvious the coach is not doing his job getting the players up for the game.