The Newcastle Knights will reportedly not move to cut Adam O'Brien loose before the end of the 2025 NRL season, but his future will hinge on the next eight weeks.
The Knights, who have seven games remaining in the 2025 campaign, would likely need to win at least six, or even all seven, of their remaining games to qualify for the finals, with a tricky run home that features games against five of the current top eight.
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Reports earlier this week suggested O'Brien would almost certainly be let go by the club at the end of the season, despite there being no clauses in his contract, meaning a multi-million dollar payout will be required.
It's understood that Blake Green and Josh Hannay have already become the favourites to take over from O'Brien when the Knights commence their preparations for 2026.
News Corp, though, is reporting O'Brien, who has cut the figure of a man under enormous pressure for nearly all of 2025, will be given the final eight weeks of the year to fight for his job.
It's understood the Knights will need to show something on the field for O'Brien to continue in the role next year, although the club are well aware of their enormous injury load, which has seen Dylan Lucas join Kalyn Ponga, Fletcher Sharpe and Adam Elliott on the sidelines this year.
Newcastle, who are also cleaning out their roster ahead of 2026 by bringing Dylan Brown to the club, and likely letting go of Elliott, Jackson Hastings and others, have been the worst attacking side this season.
Newcastle haven't made public comment on O'Brien's future, taking a different approach to the Gold Coast Titans, who ensured Des Hasler - the NRL's other under-pressure coach - still has full support of the board some weeks ago.
