Johns eases into job as Newcastle's consultant coach
Adrian Proszenko
February 27, 2011
THIS is the good news story Newcastle have been waiting for, and even better is its illustration: Matthew Johns in a Knights top, with an exercise book in hand, overseeing his first session as a consultant coach of the club.
As the Knights continue to make headlines with their ownership struggles and the Kade Snowden affair, the return of one their favourite sons is the tonic they need before the season kick-off.
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The former NSW and Australian pivot, who oversaw his first session last Tuesday, said he was delighted to be back at the club where his career began. ''I really enjoyed it,'' Johns told The Sun-Herald.
''The first session up there I just had a look at the team. I didn't have much to say to the side at all tactically. For the first few sessions I just want to go around and see how they're doing things and go from there.
''It's a satisfying thing, it's great. The Newcastle club have always been great to me. I was holding the stop-go sign working for Cessnock City Council [before coming through]. I didn't see a big future in that. When people asked me what I did, I told them I was in traffic control.''
Johns will be in charge of traffic control of a different kind, mentoring club playmakers Jarrod Mullen, Ben Rogers and sometime half Kurt Gidley, as well as promising youngsters Beau Henry and Tyrone Roberts. ''Myself and [brother] Andrew were incredibly lucky coming through at Newcastle - it was a matter of the right place at the right time.
''There were some really top-notch educators there to give you a strong football education, none more so than Alan Bell. Belly continues to do a bit of work with Tim Sheens whenever Sheensy needs a hand and he was involved with Newcastle for years [and] Warren Ryan way back in the day. Belly was an encyclopaedia. Every day he would sit with myself and Andrew and teach us, show us things.
''You've got a moral obligation not to sit on that education and do nothing with it. You've owe it to blokes like Allan Bell, who did it for you, to go and help others out.''
Knights captain Gidley said he was excited about having Johns on board. ''It's great to have a former player of Matty's calibre involved with the club in a coaching position,'' he said.
''From our fullbacks to our front-rowers, I think we will all benefit from his knowledge of the game.''
Melbourne halfback Cooper Cronk has previously described Johns as having one of the best football brains and credited the television personality with playing an integral role in his rise to Queensland and Australian honours.
While Johns won't single out individual players for fear of putting undue pressure on them, he believes the Knights are a club on the rise. ''All I'll say about Newcastle is that they've had a tough few years but there are signs that there is a good crop of players coming through,'' he said. ''We're very similar to sides like Canberra - a good, young squad are about to come out of a few lean years.''
Not for the first time, Knights official Keith Onslow was responsible for bringing Johns to the club.
''I have to give a rap to Keith Onslow, the bloke who got me there,'' Johns said. ''Keith was the bloke who found me when I was playing in a second-division team in the under-16s at Cessnock.
''He identified me and brought me into the Knights system. Without him giving me a chance, I might still be working traffic control at Cessnock.
''When he rings and asks me to get involved, I'm in no position to say no.''
