Adam O'Brien replacement?

In regards to the lack of quality juniors coming through. That started in the days of Warren Smiles and his mate Greg Bannister... IMHO.
Was is Bannister... I'm not even sure now. Anyway. Smiles was a rank amateur and a complete d##k who spent most of the time talking about himself and didn't have a clue what he was doing. Things haven't got much better since then.

Someone with a history with the club said to me the other day that everyone on the Knights staff is too busy trying justify their own positions.
Recruitment staff feel they have to recruit from outside the club to justify their roles. Not sure. But it's an interesting thought... I thought....
 
Tomacles said:
apple.news

Knightmare: Why another Newcastle loss this weekend might mean curtains for Adam O'Brien — The Roar

It's last chance saloon for the Knights boss this weekend as his side take on the Bulldogs.
apple.news apple.news
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Fantastic article and pretty spot on..... It's clear for all to see the coach is the problem and fails to identify problem areas and change tactics to suit.

Bang on about Hastings, he has been horrible with his kicking game.

McDermott might be the man to take over
 
In regards to AOB. He should have been gone last year. It's been obvious for a long time he isn't up to it. The fact that the Wests group and Phil Gardener in particular have just sat on their hands is a huge problem. The whole success starting in the front office thing. I thought Gardener was supposed to be retiring.

The team has gone backwards under AOB. Remember all the 'getting comfortable with being uncomfortable' stuff. You've made me unbelievably uncomfortable Adam. And the 'you won't make this team if you aren't a good defender.' Seriously?

AOB has driven out so many good juniors or promising juniors and has a thing for rubbish players like Mann and Tuala.
The whole moving KP to 5/8 was ridiculous. It was never going to work. That was just dumb.
Paying KP $1.4 Mil was just stupid. The roster is a mess... Again...

The team list for this week sums up part of AOB's problem. Tuala back in. Seriously. What is AOB's obsession with trundlers.
Dylan Lucas out of the 17. Lucas has been one of our best the past few weeks and was a far better option to replace Gagai than Tuala.

For the love of GOD get rid of AOB. Give the pommy guy the rest of the year and see what replacements are available.
We missed out on the best two because of the Wests Group.

I don't know who to go with as a new coach at the moment. Not another recycled failed coach like Maguire or McGregor or Morris.
The Walker brothers would completely stuff the club for years to come.
The club needs to get the coach right this time so they need to start looking at the options seriously now.
We need to find an Andrew Webster. There must be one out there. Why wasn't Kristen Wolfe given the job after Brown!!
 
Is it wrong for me to want us to lose to the Bulldogs now? Although I don't even have confidence AOB would get the sack so I guess I'll go for the Knights
 
Unemployed CoachWhisperer said:
In regards to AOB. He should have been gone last year. It's been obvious for a long time he isn't up to it. The fact that the Wests group and Phil Gardener in particular have just sat on their hands is a huge problem. The whole success starting in the front office thing. I thought Gardener was supposed to be retiring.

The team has gone backwards under AOB. Remember all the 'getting comfortable with being uncomfortable' stuff. You've made me unbelievably uncomfortable Adam. And the 'you won't make this team if you aren't a good defender.' Seriously?

AOB has driven out so many good juniors or promising juniors and has a thing for rubbish players like Mann and Tuala.
The whole moving KP to 5/8 was ridiculous. It was never going to work. That was just dumb.
Paying KP $1.4 Mil was just stupid. The roster is a mess... Again...

The team list for this week sums up part of AOB's problem. Tuala back in. Seriously. What is AOB's obsession with trundlers.
Dylan Lucas out of the 17. Lucas has been one of our best the past few weeks and was a far better option to replace Gagai than Tuala.

For the love of GOD get rid of AOB. Give the pommy guy the rest of the year and see what replacements are available.
We missed out on the best two because of the Wests Group.

I don't know who to go with as a new coach at the moment. Not another recycled failed coach like Maguire or McGregor or Morris.
The Walker brothers would completely stuff the club for years to come.
The club needs to get the coach right this time so they need to start looking at the options seriously now.
We need to find an Andrew Webster. There must be one out there. Why wasn't Kristen Wolfe given the job after Brown!!
Click to expand...
Couldn't agree more and the Lucas dropping is beyond crazy. He would be a great stand in for Gagai and why go with Tuala, he's had numerous chances and is not up to standard. If we don't look after Lucas he'll be off to another club for peanuts.
 
Does anyone have a list of juniors that have left the club under AOB’s reign (and even Nathan Brown’s time) and gone on to play first grade elsewhere?

Not that I’m saying these players are world beaters, but the likes of Starford To’a, Pasami Saulo, Chris Randall are the types of players we should be able to keep for less money and give us that depth we are so sorely lacking. The guy shows absolutely zero ability to bring young players into first grade, they are instantly discarded onto the scrap heap, and that’s a huge problem at a club like the Knights.

It’s why I’m thinking more and more it’s an absolute must that we get John Morris in as coach. He’s had success and he’s shown the ability to bring a host of young players through to first grade. He also knows the club, how it works when it’s successful and can see what we need to go back to. If what I hear about us having a lot of promising juniors coming through is true, then it’s going to be an absolute disaster if AOB is still in charge.
 
jamesgould said:
Does anyone have a list of juniors that have left the club under AOB’s reign (and even Nathan Brown’s time) and gone on to play first grade elsewhere?

Not that I’m saying these players are world beaters, but the likes of Starford To’a, Pasami Saulo, Chris Randall are the types of players we should be able to keep for less money and give us that depth we are so sorely lacking. The guy shows absolutely zero ability to bring young players into first grade, they are instantly discarded onto the scrap heap, and that’s a huge problem at a club like the Knights.

It’s why I’m thinking more and more it’s an absolute must that we get John Morris in as coach. He’s had success and he’s shown the ability to bring a host of young players through to first grade. He also knows the club, how it works when it’s successful and can see what we need to go back to. If what I hear about us having a lot of promising juniors coming through is true, then it’s going to be an absolute disaster if AOB is still in charge.
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Zak Hosking is 1 that comes to mind... Ive heard from someone that would know that AOB wasnt fussed if he stayed or not. This after commin off NSW cup player of the year 2 years running.
 
I say we need an entire coaching staff of former Knights halves and hookers.

Head coach - John Morris
Assistant coaches - Kostjaysyn, Holbrook
Specialist coaches - Johns, Buderus
Fitness - Kurt Gidley
Reserve grade coach - Michael Dobson
Recruitment - current Cowboys recruiter Dane Campbell.
Pathways coach - Scott Dureau
CEO - Robbie Tew
Luke Walsh and Brett Kimmorley to coach Flegg and Ball

You know it makes sense.
 
jamesgould said:
Does anyone have a list of juniors that have left the club under AOB’s reign (and even Nathan Brown’s time) and gone on to play first grade elsewhere?

Not that I’m saying these players are world beaters, but the likes of Starford To’a, Pasami Saulo, Chris Randall are the types of players we should be able to keep for less money and give us that depth we are so sorely lacking. The guy shows absolutely zero ability to bring young players into first grade, they are instantly discarded onto the scrap heap, and that’s a huge problem at a club like the Knights.

It’s why I’m thinking more and more it’s an absolute must that we get John Morris in as coach. He’s had success and he’s shown the ability to bring a host of young players through to first grade. He also knows the club, how it works when it’s successful and can see what we need to go back to. If what I hear about us having a lot of promising juniors coming through is true, then it’s going to be an absolute disaster if AOB is still in charge.
Click to expand...
Nick Meaney, Josh King and Jonah Pezet - Storm

Zac Hosking, Jack Cogger - Panthers

Hudson Young, Pasami Saulo, Joseph Tapine, Danny Levi, Zac Woolford, Tom Starling, Simi Sasagi - Raiders

Max Bradbury, Chris Veaila - Sharks (both will probably end up playing first grade)

Jock Madden - Broncos

Beau Fermor, Chris Randall - Titans

Starford To'a - Tigers

Tallis Duncan - Rabbitohs

Kurt Donoghue - Dolphins

Jirah Momoisea - Eels

Billy probably knows of most of the juniors that where at Newcastle and now are elsewhere and are likely to make the NRL.
 
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The best Knights junior side I've ever seen was the 2019 Mathews side. They set records in defence and the only game they lost all season was when Pezet was out injured they had a 2 point loss to the Suaali led Rabbits - but smashed them in the finals a week later.
1 Vea'ila - Cronulla
2 Charlie Thompson - Manly
3 Fletcher Myers - has been at Manly, back to Knights this week
4 Travis Petersen - Knights
5
6 Mitch Henderson - Canberra
7 Jonah Pezet - Melbourne
8 Noah Reed - Parramatta
9 Noah Naigolivia - Knights
10 Jake Crouch - Cronulla
11 Oryn Keeley - Knights
12 Max Bradbury - Cronulla

Those are the ones who have already played reserves or firsts, but they are all still Flegg aged. They were so good that recruiters from all over the NRL snapped them up.
 
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