Knights appoint Peter Parr as Director of Football

[Frederick]

MEDIA RELEASE

Knights appoint Peter Parr as Director of Football​

AuthorNewcastle KnightsTimestampWed 27 Jul 2022, 11:00 AM

Share on social media​

• Share via Facebook
• Share via Twitter
• Share via Whats-app
• Share via Reddit
• Share via Email

The nib Newcastle Knights have appointed highly respected rugby league administrator Peter Parr as the club’s new Director of Football, commencing Monday 1 August 2022.
The newly created role will see Parr assume full control of the Club’s football operations, reporting to Newcastle Knights and Wests Group Australia Chief Executive Officer Mr. Philip Gardner.

Parr’s career in rugby league spans 25 years, the last 20 of which have been primarily focused on the North Queensland Cowboys in such diverse roles as Director, CEO, General Manager of Football and Football Manager. All up Parr has been involved in four Grand Finals, one with the Brisbane Broncos in 2000, and three with the Cowboys in 2005, 2015 and 2017.

For the past four years he has also held the role of Representative Pathways Manager for the New South Wales Rugby League in addition to continuing to serve as a Non-Executive Director of the Cowboys and Chair of the club’s Football Committee.

Born in Newcastle, where he played senior football and won two premierships for Souths Newcastle, Parr’s role will lead the elite and pathways programs for both men and women, from operations and coaching to recruitment, high performance and medical, with all current senior staff to report into him.

“Peter is one of the most respected people in the game, and he will bring a new level of experience and football IQ to our football operations,” Mr. Gardner said.

“He was the key architect of the Cowboys becoming a consistent force in the National Rugby League including playing their first charge towards a Grand Final appearance in 2005 and ultimately winning the title in 2015.

“He’s seen everything rugby league throws at you in his time in the game, we know his experience and nous will be invaluable in providing our team, and the team behind the team, with the support it needs to get better and grow into the future.”

Parr’s link with the Knights has both professional and deeply personal dimensions, seeing him return to the city he grew up in.

“This is a great opportunity for me to continue my career at a club I have always respected, with the added bonus of returning to the town where I grew up, ” Parr said.

“The Knights have all the ingredients to be successful.

“They are a one team town with extraordinary community support, have a big catchment area of juniors, passionate supporters, and a strong membership and corporate base, and a team that played finals football less than 12 months ago.

“I look forward to working with Philip Gardner and the Board, along with Adam O'Brien, Danny Buderus and the rest of the football department and the Club as a whole to ensure we provide NRL, NRLW and pathways teams that the community can be proud of well into the future.”

Knights appoint Peter Parr as Director of Football

The nib Newcastle Knights have appointed highly respected rugby league administrator Peter Parr as the club’s new Director of Football, commencing Monday 1 August 2022.

www.newcastleknights.com.au

 

[SamSepi0l]

Positive move. Like this a lot.

 

[Frederick]

Provided Phil sits back and doesn't interfere, this could be the most important signing we've made in a very, very long time

 

[Yosh]

What is going on? Isn't this exactly what we wanted? Great stuff.

 

[Old School]

Thank Christ, at last someone with experience & success behind them & a footyhead as well! This is looking good,
maybe now Gardiner will but out & go back to his calculator instead of sticking his nose into things he knows nothing about. Please don`t let this be a false dawn like we had with the clown O`Brien, lets hope he is on the way out or we will be still in this mess at this time next year.

 

[aqua_duck]

Provided Phil sits back and doesn't interfere, this could be the most important signing we've made in a very, very long time

Parr's been around way too long to be someone else's lacky. I think he's probably the best man we could have got for the job, this club needs am overhaul and given Parr has held almost every managerial and executive role within the Cowboys organisation during his time there he should be have a wealth of knowledge in all areas of football operations, added to that his work with NSWRL elite pathways and he certainly should have the skills for the role. The fact he's a local is a bonus as it'll buy him some leeway with the fans and media for the inevitable tough calls he'll need to make.

 

[Jono078]

Wow this came out of no where.

Few negative comments to Phil above but how about applauding him for getting this deal done and identifying this as a need!

I couldn’t be happier. It’s what we’ve asked for and need. Part is super experienced too.

Hope this all works out. I’m sure there’ll be some teething issues over the next 12-24 months.

2025 might be our year!!

 

[Yosh]

I hope he starts to rip and tear the place apart from the first day. Make the players and staff feel afraid for their jobs and lives. That's what we need asap.

 

[slotmachine]

So what's the GM of footballs role now, going to remain a mostly ceremonial?

 

[Frederick]

So what's the GM of footballs role now, going to remain a mostly ceremonial?

I'm going to throw my hat in the ring when they advertise for a Junior Vice President of Football

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

Bit of a surprise.
How much of a free reign he has is the question.
O'Brien needs to be more involved in recruitment.

 

[aqua_duck]

Bit of a surprise.
How much of a free reign he has is the question.
O'Brien needs to be more involved in recruitment.

Given Parr's experience, standing and knowledge I doubt we brought him here to be a clip board holder. Parr's previous roles at the cowboys include being CEO, GM of football, as well as being on the board of directors, all senior executive level positions, I doubt he would've come back here after 20+ years to be someone's lacky

 

[Jono078]

So what's the GM of footballs role now, going to remain a mostly ceremonial?

Now? What was it before? Besides bedsy fronting media when Pearce had drama and sitting with Ponga when he re-signed, I’m not actually sure what his role and contribution was.

 

[slotmachine]

I doubt he would've come back here after 20+ years to be someone's lacky

Garth Brennan had plenty of experience too...
Time will tell.

 

[PhilGould]

A positive move in theory by the club but Cows fans were pretty happy to see the back of him when he stepped down from a similar role there. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt for now.

Don't think this helps AOB's chances of being our coach for 2023.

 

[aqua_duck]

Garth Brennan had plenty of experience too...
Time will tell.

respectfully there's a pretty sizeable gap in their resumes and their roles

 

[perverse]

Garth Brennan had plenty of experience too...
Time will tell.

This. I mean, it seems like good news... but I just don't trust this club at all to carry my hopes and optimism anymore. They'll get it back when they earn it back.

 

[Knight Tales]

Interesting appointment and with our cap being sizeable for 2024 it is good timing. I imagine his influence is pretty strong across the game.

 

[Bdubs]

great first step for what we need as a club.

Gardner has realised the areas where we are lacking by the sounds of things and got someone in with experience to address these areas, similar to the Bulldogs and Tigers with Gould and Sheens.

Parr knows what makes a club successful, so as long as he has the scope to make the decisions required to fix the areas of need, without interference we may have just started the first steps for building the club to be successful

 

[Johns Magic]

Good on Gardner for the initiative. Hopefully it works.