- Two clubs couldn’t wait to get rid of coaches before season ends
Adam O’Brien is on borrowed time at the Newcastle Knights, with a football committee meeting staged on Tuesday night to rubber-stamp a payout for the embattled head coach.
O’Brien, 47, was contracted for another two years, but it is understood he has indicated to club powerbrokers he is willing to walk away.
His payout is believed to be between $300,000 and $500,000.
A listless performance on home soil against the Broncos on Sunday couldn’t have come at a worse time for O’Brien.
But despite a poor 2025 campaign, O’Brien did manage to guide Newcastle into the top eight in four of his five seasons at the helm.
A follow-up board meeting on Thursday will seal the fate of the former Melbourne Storm assistant coach.
Adam O’Brien is on borrowed time at the Newcastle Knights, with the football committee meeting on Tuesday night to rubber-stamp the payout of the head coach
The Gold Coast Titans recently confirmed Des Hasler won’t be their head coach in 2026
The looming outcome follows the Gold Coast Titans recently confirming Des Hasler won’t be their head coach in 2026, with Josh Hannay his replacement.
Both the Titans and Knights are battling to avoid the wooden spoon with two games to play.
Justin Holbrook has reportedly been offered to the Knights as a straight swap for O’Brien – but current Newcastle assistant Blake Green is said to be the frontrunner.
Holbrook is contracted with the Roosters until the end of 2026, but if he is offered a head coaching role the Tricolours won’t stand in his way.
‘I want to be a head coach again, definitely, I don’t have any doubts about that,’ Holbrook told News Corp.
‘I’m enjoying my time back at the Roosters, but I learnt a lot from my time at the Titans and that will hold me in good stead for any opportunity that comes up.’
Willie Peters is another coach the Knights could chase.
The former South Sydney and Dragons halfback has worked previously at the Knights and has been a revelation with Hull KR in the Super League.
In June, Peters won the Challenge Cup, which was the club’s first silverware in 45 years.
