Newcastle are set to lock down coach Nathan Brown on an 'open-ended' contract in the coming weeks, after Knights CEO Phil Gardner confirmed the news to the Newcastle Herald on Wednesday.
Gardner - who is also the boss of Wests Group - said the deal could be finalised as early as next week, with Brown poised to remain at the club on a rolling contract.
“Nathan’s comfortable - I’m comfortable. We’ll have his contract signed very soon,” Gardner told the Newcastle Herald.
“It’s been signed off on by the football committee. I’ve got a Wests board meeting on Thursday. They’ll agree to it there.
“I would have thought it could have been finalised by the end of the week but it may take a little longer.”
The contract won't have a specific end date, although there will be clauses in the contract that will come into effect if the two parties were to part ways during the terms of the deal.
After winning just five games in 2017, the Knights already have five to their name this season, and are playing a much better brand of football.
“We’ve always felt this year was the year to improve on last year which we have,” Gardner added.
“We are a long way in front of this time last year and the fact Mitch [Pearce] is injured, Tautau [Moga] is injured, Herman [Ese’ese] is suspended – they are not coaching issues.
“That’s the luck of the draw and we think we will bounce back at the back end of the season when Mitch gets back. We are certainly in a much better position than last year which is the hurdle we set for Browny.”
