Adam O'Brien replacement?

I think slater will be approached for the melbourne job, even that job he may be reluctant to take as his origin gig + channel 9 commitments would be just as if not more lucrative, without the pressure and year long grind that comes with head coaching positions.
 
On John Morris being a “young coach”… if they turn out to be the right man for the job, you’ve got a guy who might coach your side for 20+ years. Continuity breeds success.

Definitely maintaining a decent record & making the finals two years straight during a big roster transition where they were trying to work out a terrible salary cap situation is the best argument in his favour:

2019

Notable losses: Valentine Holmes (NFL); Edrick Lee (Knights); Ricky Leutele (Super League); Luke Lewis (retirement); Jesse Ramien (Knights); James Segeyaro (Broncos)

Notable signings: Shaun Johnson (Warriors); Josh Morris (Bulldogs)

Debutants (and where they came from): Ronaldo Mulitalo (Sharks system); Toby Rudolf (QCup - Redcliffe); Bronson Xerri (Sharks system); Blayke Brailey (Sharks system); Will Kennedy (Sharks system); Briton Nikora (Sharks system); Billy Magoulias (Sharks system)

2020

Notable losses: Jayden Brailey (Knights); Kurt Capewell (Panthers); Sosaia Feki (Super League); Kyle Flanagan (Roosters); Paul Gallen (retirement); Matt Prior (Super League); Bronson Xerri (drug suspension); John Morris (Roosters)

Notable signings: Jesse Ramien (Jets)

Debutants (and where they came from): Braydon Trindall (Sharks system); Teig Wilton (Sharks system)

Borderline debutants/“revived careers”: Siosifa Talakai (NSW Cup - Jets); Connor Tracey (Rabbitohs); Royce Hunt (Raiders)


That’s pretty fair turnover & a lot of new guys to bed in, plus their one big splash in the player market in Shaun Johnson was fit for maybe 66% of games at best. You’d have to say he did a pretty good job and Craig Fitzgibbon is benefiting from the work Morris did. There’s definitely a strong case to make for him.
 
The reasons for moving Morris on were they didn’t think the team had a hard enough edge with him in charge, and that they only beat the sides they were expected to beat & couldn’t beat teams above them on the ladder. Remember thinking that was harsh at the time and that I thought he was getting a fair bit out of the roster, which I thought was pretty middling. Trent Robinson is widely regarded as one of if not the best coaches in the comp and he comes into the season with at worst a top 3 roster on paper pretty much every year lol. You could say that every win they have is them beating a team they’d be expected to beat!
 
Hope I'm wrong but got a feeling we'll be talking a lot about John Morris in a months time . Yes you have to give Hastings & Ponga a month to gel , but we still need some wins out of the first month .You can tell Buzz & Kent are just waiting to get the first coach flicked . Once they start with their agenda , no coming back!
 
Lord of the Skraelings said:
I am expecting nothing out of this season, won't suprise me if we finish 6th or 16th.

As a Knights supporter I am seasoned when it comes to disappointment these days.
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As we all are , just be good to win the majority of home games .Give us fans something . I been to most home games since we bashed Manly in the Herald Challenge Cup in 1988. Ah memories !
 
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slotmachine said:
They punted Morris cause they thought he stuffed up a few things with recruitment and couldn't attract players to the club.

Wouldn't be an issue at the knights, no one is coming here for the coach as it is.
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Fair enough then. Can’t deny that Craig Fitzgibbon got some guys over the line for the Sharkies.

Can’t say I’m privy to what the good or bad calls made by Morris were, but it seems like Parr has taken a pretty firm hand on that stuff, so a lot of it won’t be up to him. Have a mate who’s a Roosters fan and his take on us refusing to swap Dom for Sitili was “It’s annoying that the Knights have a footy director who’s not a moron now, under the old mob we’d already have Dom and we’d finally be rid of ****fingers” so that’s something hahaha.
 
I’ve heard Ronnie Griffiths talked about as someone with head coaching for a men’s NRL team in his future too. Can’t deny he’s done a fabulous job with the girls, but my take on that is you’d maybe want to see him do a bit more of a top line apprenticeship as an assistant first. AFAIK besides Real NRL experience, he’s just got a brief run as an assistant with the Tigers under his belt.
 
TheBatman said:
If O'Brien is let go I'd like to see us consider:
1. John Morris - Has ties to the club. Did a fantastic job with Sharks junior system. Was doing a wonderful job with the first grade team before being dumped for Fitzgibbon in a move which was clearly predetermined. He had some excellent attacking systems for a roster that wasn't quite up to scratch. Has been in the Souths system the last 2 years and seen how well they have been run.

2. Billy Slater - Experienced from the Storm system and now Queensland coach. Seems to have an aura around him in the modern player who respect him. That should be a draw for potential signings. Supposed to be a very good thinker after working under Bellamy as a fullback coach.

3. Des Hasler - Probably more on name moreso than anything else but he's an innovator and still has clout to attract talent. As long as we don't leave him in charge of the cap it would be fine. Manly has been good under him, so to the Dogs before succumbing to some crazy deals he put on the table.

4. Shane Flanagan - I'm not a Flanagan fan. I find his ethics to be pretty despicable however he is a Premiership Winner. Given what has happened with Dom Young and the Roosters it's also far more clear than ever that we're not playing on an equal playing field, so why not try and bend the rules.
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Missed this. Pretty great summary.

Morris working as an assistant at Souths is another point in his favour, most underrated system in the comp. Everyone goes after the guys who work at Melbourne, the Roosters and now Penrith, but Souths would be the next most well-run club. Arguably they should be placed ahead of the Roosters since they don’t have the inherent advantages of Politis’ business connections, neverending deep pockets, and plum Bondi location - and also have to deal with the Roosters picking the eyes out of their juniors system constantly. I would contend Souths have done a better job of extracting value out of unwanted or previously un-noticed players.
 
Like him or not, I would go with Shane Flanagan. He has won a Premiership beating the Storm in a close final with a team that wasn't full of stars. His commentary is really good and makes a lot of sense. I like John Morris as well but, I'm sick of watching us losing week after week, we need a proven NRL coach. We don't need to be developing a coach as well as a team.
 
sherpa said:
Like him or not, I would go with Shane Flanagan. He has won a Premiership beating the Storm in a close final with a team that wasn't full of stars. His commentary is really good and makes a lot of sense. I like John Morris as well but, I'm sick of watching us losing week after week, we need a proven NRL coach. We don't need to be developing a coach as well as a team.
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Don't agree at all. I would have Hassler over Flagan any day of the week. And, John Morris is proven! As the stats provided in the messages in this thread.
 
Cant wait to hear AOB dribble after that diabolical effort tonight.....they looked unfit and uninspired. 5 more straight losses to go till this joker gets the boot 🤞🏿
 
Yep when he come in I personally think he come into a good roster that browny had built. I agree letting him go. But unfortunately we made the wrong call o AOB. He only made the finals on the back of that. I’m most seasons we would not have played finals. It’s been a decline is a good roster since he started
 
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