Opinion Newcastle under Justin Holbrook

[James Rick]

How far can the Knights go under Holbrook? I know people questioned his signing and said he was too similar to Adam O'Brien but the Knights will surprise a few teams this year especially if Gagai and Ponga stay fit and can maintain the form they showed in Vegas throughout the season.

 

[Nuke]

There we go. The inevitable Knights thread. Been waiting for this.

I don't think too many people were thinking Holbrook and AOB are similar types of coaches. AOB focuses on defence, and actively stifles attack despite all the attacking flair in his squad. Holbrook is known, from his days at GC, to be an attacking coach.

 

[Rabbit toes]

Got good vibes for the knights, can see them rocketing up the ladder to 15th

 

[Captain Apollo]

The Knights will improve on 2025. However, they have so much money tied up in a few key players that they lack depth and also talent in other areas of the squad (e.g. its pack).

 

[Chins]

Beating a Cows side that will be bottom 4 hasn't proven anything really.

 

[Vic Mackey]

I see the Knights having a similar year to the Eels last year. Will take a while to get rid of the AOB stench around the joint but there will be plenty of positives in the second half of the season.

 

[This Year?]

Got good vibes for the knights, can see them rocketing up the ladder to 15th

Hey! That's my spot.
*falls to 16th/17th*

 

[Nundah Wonder]

He’s already showing that he is smarter than O’Brien, which wouldn’t be hard. He’s done that by playing Ponga inside Sharpe in attack. Sharp might be an outstanding individual taking player but he hasn’t got ball skills and he was not providing quality service to the players outside him last year and this was the reason I struggled Ponga struggled.

You could see the difference last week with Ponga getting the ball as a half. He might’ve been wearing no 1 but he was playing as a half and sharpe wasn’t

 

[Woody90]

Got good vibes for the knights, can see them rocketing up the ladder to 15th

We’ll take it

 

[Fangs]

Only round 1 but they actually showed some fight in the first AND second half. New ground there.

Ponga was heavily involved which he needs to be. They've made the finals in 4 out of 8 seasons with him but their best finish was week 2. Not good enough for a guy pulling his coin. He needs a bumper year.

 

[Nealo 12]

Only round 1 but they actually showed some fight in the first AND second half. New ground there.

Ponga was heavily involved which he needs to be. They've made the finals in 4 out of 8 seasons with him but their best finish was week 2. Not good enough for a guy pulling his coin. He needs a bumper year.

Yeah but they were playing on the big stage , the whole World Newcastle was watching

 

[nick87]

It was a good first win and Trey Mooney gonna be a really good signing, i think they make major improvements on last year, a top 16 finish isnt out of the question

 

[yakstorm]

The squad feels like it's alot more willing to fight for a result that it did under the final years of AOB. They may not win this match against Canterbury, but you can't criticise the effort in the first half.

 

[PARRA_FAN]

3 wins out of 4 and look like a much better team. Full credit to Justin.

 

[10$ Ferret]

The AOB stench ? The Bennet rot was worse and hopefully for the Knights has finally been put to pasture.
The belief in themselves and the way they haven't fell in a heap with out their too big stars is the big change. Holbrook is a good person and pretty positive

 

[Marshall_magic]

It’s hard to read too much into the start to the season, not that it hasn’t been very good, but it’s too small a sample size. Most mid table teams will have a 4-5 game run where they have some good form, have teams like the Knights and Tigers just done so at the start of the season?

It’s promising, but give it another month before the popping the champagne.

 

[Woody90]

It’s hard to read too much into the start to the season, not that it hasn’t been very good, but it’s too small a sample size. Most mid table teams will have a 4-5 game run where they have some good form, have teams like the Knights and Tigers just done so at the start of the season?

It’s promising, but give it another month before the popping the champagne.

I don’t think any Knights fans are popping the champagne. We’re just happy to see improvement. Last year when we lost this calibre of players we not only never won an another game, but we got slaughtered every game.

This year we’ve lost them again but the response to it is completely different.

We’ve still got a lot of issues, and I’m not even expecting we’ll make the finals and we’ll no doubt still get a lot of blow out scores against us, but I think we’re just happy we didn’t throw in the towel. Last years side/AOB would have gone on and on about the players we’d lost, but Holbrook is just getting on with it and not reading into the external/media calls that we’re f**ked which is refreshing.

 

[Woosh]

How far can the Knights go under Holbrook? I know people questioned his signing and said he was too similar to Adam O'Brien but the Knights will surprise a few teams this year especially if Gagai and Ponga stay fit and can maintain the form they showed in Vegas throughout the season.

Newcastle are up shit creek if they are relying on a 35 year outside back to stay fit

 

[aqua_duck]

As a Knights fan, I’m not getting ahead of myself. I don't expect us to maintain this ladder position, especially since we’ve caught a few teams at their lowest point. That said, you can only beat who’s in front of you, and at least we’re winning those games convincingly for once.
The most impressive part is doing this without Ponga or Brown, and with Fletcher Sharpe still looking underdone. It’s a massive nod to the rest of the squad and Justin Holbrook’s coaching that we aren't folding without our stars.
There’s a definite shift in the club’s depth, too, we’re sitting top of the table in NSW Cup despite injuries and first-grade call-ups suggests a real turnaround in the ranks. I’ve never been a fan of Peter O’Sullivan, but I have to give him credit where it's due. He’s made some astute signings in Trey Mooney, Sandon Smith, and Harrison Graham, and his overhaul of the roster and especially in the squad depth looks to be paying dividends.

 

[perverse]

As a Knights fan, I’m not getting ahead of myself. I don't expect us to maintain this ladder position, especially since we’ve caught a few teams at their lowest point. That said, you can only beat who’s in front of you, and at least we’re winning those games convincingly for once.
The most impressive part is doing this without Ponga or Brown, and with Fletcher Sharpe still looking underdone. It’s a massive nod to the rest of the squad and Justin Holbrook’s coaching that we aren't folding without our stars.
There’s a definite shift in the club’s depth, too, we’re sitting top of the table in NSW Cup despite injuries and first-grade call-ups suggests a real turnaround in the ranks. I’ve never been a fan of Peter O’Sullivan, but I have to give him credit where it's due. He’s made some astute signings in Trey Mooney, Sandon Smith, and Harrison Graham, and his overhaul of the roster and especially in the squad depth looks to be paying dividends.

Yep, i've been reserving judgment and was skeptical - but he's done a great job with the roster. There's some blokes I definitely wouldn't have picked up - but the ones that are performing are killing it.