2026 will be a great year for us top 4 easy
Justin Holbrook discussion
- Thread starter jamesgould
- Start date
I’m quite concerned that the club has apparently gone from grooming Green for the head coach role, to booting him out the door.
Don’t get me wrong, I agree with booting him out the door, but what does it say about our long term planning, it just all turns on a dime like that?
Maybe it was all nonsense about him being looked upon as a successor for the first grade job, imo it should never have even been an option with his lack of coaching experience.
Don’t get me wrong, I agree with booting him out the door, but what does it say about our long term planning, it just all turns on a dime like that?
Maybe it was all nonsense about him being looked upon as a successor for the first grade job, imo it should never have even been an option with his lack of coaching experience.
Die Hard
Brett Grogan
Agree with AOB actually, a new coach with offensive flair will increase our wins by at least 1, a lot of training with the kicking coach will increase our wins by roughly 1.5+, new players especially our much better spine will increase our wins further as well. If we take 2023/24 as our baseline without insurmountable injuries than we should likely be top 4.
Billy
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Hales was a teacher and coach at Westfields sports High.
I don't know the actual stats, but most of our players in the grades that still go to school - men and women - seem to go to Hunter Sports High now, and we have some development staff there.
Hunter Sports High made the GF of the NSW highschools comp for the first time this year.
Hales also coached Parra under 20s and Parra and Manly reserve grade before becoming a firstgrade assistant at Manly.
Without knowing anything about him, his resume seems to say he should be good at working with young players coming through, and we have plenty of them.
I don't know the actual stats, but most of our players in the grades that still go to school - men and women - seem to go to Hunter Sports High now, and we have some development staff there.
Hunter Sports High made the GF of the NSW highschools comp for the first time this year.
Hales also coached Parra under 20s and Parra and Manly reserve grade before becoming a firstgrade assistant at Manly.
Without knowing anything about him, his resume seems to say he should be good at working with young players coming through, and we have plenty of them.
HarVeeGee13
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
I’m not sure we’ve ever heard anyone actually affiliated with the club say that though. Never heard that from Parr, never heard it from Uncle Phil. Literally think that’s just something Isaac Moses has been pushing.
Maybe I’m just cynical but I still think AOB got sacked and I kind of think Blake and McDermott were basically ushered out the door too. I think they decided to sack AOB months ago. His position was untenable as of the Manly game. And they’ve always had Holbrook & Hannay in mind as the next guy. It’s been reported the club put feelers out with Hannay weeks before AOB actually “resigned”. Holbrook was getting the job in 2023 if AOB didn’t turn things around.
That five person committee to find the new head coach thing, I don’t buy it was this impartial process, that was for appearances. They tipped Holbrook that he was the lead horse, that allowed him to think about the spine we have and tip Sandon about where he’d want him to play, and then Sandon has that last minute change of heart about joining the Cows…
They’re just very PR/stability conscious and want it all to look like a peaceful transfer of power with a very thorough & formal process, the coach honourably fell on his sword, we didn’t **** can anyone, etc etc etc. Now any other head coach knows we’re going to try to make you look good on the way out if it doesn’t go well. And they want the new head coach to come in with a totally clean slate (no stories about him knifing staff like Hannay at the Goldie), 100% approval rating with staff, they want everyone to know that they interviewed far and wide and he was the standout, etc.
Dunno maybe I’m just cynical but it’s a crazy coincidence that the guy who got the job now is someone who’s already almost gotten it three times lol. Wow what do you know, the impartial process said: We should do the thing we’ve kind of wanted to do for years.
Wouldn’t surprise me at all if what you say Is the case.
Anyway, just listened to the Holbrook presser and I must say it’s refreshing to listen to a coach that doesn’t sound like he’s six schooner’s deep. Sounds like he has a few ideas which will move us in a different direction. Looking forward to 2026!
Anyway, just listened to the Holbrook presser and I must say it’s refreshing to listen to a coach that doesn’t sound like he’s six schooner’s deep. Sounds like he has a few ideas which will move us in a different direction. Looking forward to 2026!
HarVeeGee13
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
He sounds very laidback and confident & our playing group has looked like they’re wound tighter than a hat around Nate Myles’ giant head all year so I think they need that.
Die Hard
Brett Grogan
I like the theory HVG but alternatively he may have been one of the main coaches to be interviewed as already stated, and he impressed more than any other coach hence why he was almost chosen in the past and why he was chosen this time. They could have started searching out interest before making changes to make sure it would not be a mistake.
Defence wins games
Todd Bates
For me, the big decision will be who is chosen as defensive coach.
mudmarn
Jeff Doyle
How could they be grooming him towards a head coach?....He has never worked under a genuine head coach to learn from.
Kurriboy
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
He wasn't booted anywhere
He took his shot at taking over as head coach, didn't get the job and Holbrook did.
Can't expect the man to want to continue as an assistant under Holbrook who beat him to the role.
Mister Levy
Steve Walters
For most of the past 20 years our front office has been our biggest issue. I would love if they were now at a point they could pull something like this off.
Beer Me Strength
Glen Miller
After watching the presser, the one thing I can’t get out of my head is that he is 1 season off having the full Monty Burns hairdo.
Newygirl
Todd Bates
Well during his playing career he played under just about every head coach there is. So he’d at least be familiar with a lot of different styles lol
HarVeeGee13
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Kind of glossed over this but Holbrook says in the presser that 16 of his 20 years of previous coaching experience have been as some kind of head coach.
Defence wins games
Todd Bates
There has been a fair few bumpy years in our following of the Knights since they entered the big league.
I feel a bit gun shy about making any predictions or even daring to think of a new era of success.
All we have at the moment is hope.
HarVeeGee13
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
What’s funny is that the media had me convinced about how non-negotiable Blake’s presence was at the club. Every player we signed wanted to come play under him. The entire senior playing group would revolt if he left.
Holbrook is appointed and said senior players just happen to be there for a voluntary session. Trying to impress the new boss I guess. Interesting player revolt there.
Isaac Moses propaganda machine is a crazy thing.
Holbrook is appointed and said senior players just happen to be there for a voluntary session. Trying to impress the new boss I guess. Interesting player revolt there.
Isaac Moses propaganda machine is a crazy thing.
mullenmagic
Andrew 'Joey' Johns
Understand the scepticism with the Sydney media but Toohey has been a glorified Knights mouthpiece for years and he was saying the exact same things. Doubt he was doing Moses' bidding. I'd say they do rate Green and just decided Holbrook sold them on a better future. How often do internal candidates move on after unsuccesfully applying for the head coach job? Pretty common I'd think.