Who should be the new Knights coach for 2027?

Who should be our new coach for 2027?

  • Brad Arthur

    Votes: 11 21.6%

  • John Morris

    Votes: 16 31.4%

  • Brian McDermott

    Votes: 13 25.5%

  • Kevin Walters

    Votes: 2 3.9%

  • Willie Peters

    Votes: 9 17.6%

  • Justin Hollbrooke

    Votes: 1 2.0%

  • Mal Meninga

    Votes: 1 2.0%

  • Peter Wallace

    Votes: 4 7.8%
  • Total voters
    51
I think Morris would be my pick but in saying that he seems like a no nonsense shape up or ship out kind of bloke. Not sure with our depth options if that would be good or not I have no idea
 
Chaister said:
Just on McDermott, I’m not sure if taking over as caretaker now would really be in his best interests if he wants to be considered for the FG job.

He’s got the same side that’s completely down on confidence, a million injuries, he’s going to have to keep the same attack coach in Green likely as he won’t be able to bring in his own staff for a temp role. I don’t really see us improving at all to be honest.

I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s not actually named as caretaker because he asks not to be as he doesn’t want his shot at the job (or a job elsewhere in the NRL) to be impacted by what’s inevitably going to happen in the next few months.
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I wouldn’t be so sure Trent Barrett is a horrible coach but his stock rose when he was able to get Parra kicking on a bit after taking over.

It can go both ways, if he comes in and just gets the attack looking good his stock will rise and if he doesn’t do well, well no one expects a caretaker to be great.

put it this way Brian has only ever had less than 60% win rate with one team and that’s when he first started coaching professionally.

I’d give him a chance, assistants don’t want to stay assistants forever especially Brian who loves coaching, I’m sure someone with his competitive nature wants to coach at the highest level in the NRL.

I hope they don’t overlook him like they did peters, we had a good coach in our own backyard and didn’t notice until we let him go for AOB.

I’d pick Brian as caretaker for the rest of the year if he doesn’t do good, I’d go for Morris.
 
Apologies if I’ve missed it but has there been a report saying there will be a board meeting Monday or just rumours?
 
KPGreatness said:
I wouldn’t be so sure Trent Barrett is a horrible coach but his stock rose when he was able to get Parra kicking on a bit after taking over.

It can go both ways, if he comes in and just gets the attack looking good his stock will rise and if he doesn’t do well, well no one expects a caretaker to be great.

put it this way Brian has only ever had less than 60% win rate with one team and that’s when he first started coaching professionally.

I’d give him a chance, assistants don’t want to stay assistants forever especially Brian who loves coaching, I’m sure someone with his competitive nature wants to coach at the highest level in the NRL.

I hope they don’t overlook him like they did peters, we had a good coach in our own backyard and didn’t notice until we let him go for AOB.

I’d pick Brian as caretaker for the rest of the year if he doesn’t do good, I’d go for Morris.
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Did he? They went from 14th when Arthur was sacked to a spoon bowl in the last round of the season. Wouldn’t say he got them kicking on and I definitely don’t think his stock rose.

I say we’ll definitely offer McDermott the caretaker role, but whether he wants it, or whether it would be in his best interests to take it on is another matter. What if we get worse which is definitely possible?

McDermott’s an interesting one, if you look at his winning record in big games alone he’s a very strong choice, but when you peel it back a bit maybe not. He’s actually not rated super highly amongst super league fans. The quality of the comp is a lot lower over there where you really only have 3 strong clubs and the same 3 clubs only have won the final since 2006. Leeds are an exceptionally strong club and had already won 3 titles in a row before McDermott came on board. They also had a golden generation of talent at that time with the likes of Burrow, McGuire, Peacock, Ryan Hall, Watkins, etc. In ESL terms, that’s on par with Penrith’s current one. Now there’s definitely needs to be credit given to coaches that are able to get the best out of great players, but that’s not the situation the Knights are in now at all.

It’ll be interesting to say the least who they go for. I just hope they take their time. I’m more than happy for McDermott to be caretaker as he’s the natural option, but I’m not sure it will be a great thing for him to do. But yes, if he comes in and the side suddenly start killing it it will definitely help his chances and I’d be all for him being coach as there’s really poor options across the board.
 
Watched a few videos on McDerrmot and to be honest I think he is the only candidate.
All the other coaches are tried and tested. We need to gamble on a coach to take us to the promised land and he has the experience to suggest he could be the coach.
 
McDermott had a reputation as an innovator and good man manager as an ESL coach.
He has learnt everything O'Brien has to teach since getting here, but came with a huge resume as a successful head coach as well.

I don't think we could find anyone with a better resume, and he knows all the players, probably better than O'Brien does.
 
Kurriboy said:
McDermott may have zero say in how the team is run, implementing OB's plan.

Maybe OB is a complete control freak and it's his way always.

Anyway, I have no idea on preferred coach anymore, not OB, and just make the right choice Knights.
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I actually believe this is most likely the case. I often think it’s likely that McDermott has a great idea and out of pride and ego it gets shelved. Of course I’ve never even been a fly on the wall so that might not even be remotely the case.

I’d like to see him have a go as care taker at least. If the side improves greatly then look at giving him a little contract. If he sucks then at least we gave it a shot. This year is a write off anyway so I don’t see the harm in trying. I don’t think all these NRL coaches who have done **** all besides get sacked are the right answer whatsoever. People talking up Brad Arthur and Madge like they’ve got 30 premierships between them. 🤷‍♂️
 
Frank McWilliams said:
If we are talking AOB, gone then McDermott is obvious ,choice, wouldn’t change other support coaches as they may not have had the freedom of implementing there ideas, McDermott he should make those choices and can give a overall report at season end that if he has the job 2026 he will decide who his assistants are
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Idk isn’t McDermott the current assistant coach? Would anything change if he became head coach?
 
Just shelve AOB, let him mark the field out or cut up the oranges, give McDermott the job for the rest of the year and see what happens, doesn't cost anything. The last thing we want or need is another inexperienced coach and the current crop of available coaches doesn't look that great.
 
Krambach said:
Idk isn’t McDermott the current assistant coach? Would anything change if he became head coach?
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He’d get to be the one that makes the final decision, he’d get to apply his philosophy, and pick his team.

Again he is an assistant he isn’t the main guy and here a free one for people this no contesting ball garbage wouldn’t be tolerated under him, he has never asked him team to not contest.
 
I’d like to think Peters would be a good coach to help transition brown from a 6 to a genuine 7/build the attack around him if we were to lose KP.
Also he could double as a jockey at the trots behind the stadium!
 
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Six years later since AOB was appointed head coach, it still absolutely baffles me why we didn’t appoint Shaun Wane as head coach after Phil Gardner poorly handled Nathan Brown’s departure as Knights head coach towards the end of the 2019 NRL Season. Wane is a motivational speaker and with a proven record in the Super League including his massive blowups in the shed when he coached Wigan to three premierships. It’s kind of too late now since he’s solely focused on coaching the England Rep team but, what could’ve been.
 
relicorange94 said:
Six years later since AOB was appointed head coach, it still absolutely baffles me why we didn’t appoint Shaun Wane as head coach after Phil Gardner poorly handled Nathan Brown’s departure as Knights head coach towards the end of the 2019 NRL Season. Wane is a motivational speaker and with a proven record in the Super League including his massive blowups in the shed when he coached Wigan to three premierships. It’s kind of too late now since he’s solely focused on coaching the England Rep team but, what could’ve been.
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Give it a rest already mate, we're not signing Shaun Wane.
 
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