Justin Holbrook has quietly done what few expected at the Newcastle Knights to start their season.
He's taken a team that finished last year with the wooden spoon and transformed it into a competitive, adaptable, and resilient side. Three wins from four games might not sound headline-grabbing, but the context makes it remarkable.
Almost half the salary cap is unavailable, stars Dylan Brown and Kalyn Ponga are sidelined, and injuries have forced constant reshuffles in the spine. Circumstances that would have broken most teams.
Yet Holbrook has shown that instability doesn't have to mean defeat. In his hands, it can become an opportunity.
This is what separates him from Adam O'Brien.
O'Brien's Knights were plagued by inconsistency in the spine, with constant changes in the halves and shifting roles that rarely led to cohesion. Under Holbrook, change has been a tool, not a weakness.
When Fletcher Sharpe went down, Holbrook trusted recruit Sandon Smith. When both Ponga and Brown were injured in Round 2, he reshuffled the spine. Fletcher Hunt moved to fullback, Phoenix Crossland into the halves, and Harrison Graham covered hooker. The Knights conceded only one try after losing their stars and still claimed a 36-16 win.
Holbrook's philosophy is clear. Instability doesn't have to define you. It can reveal who steps up, who adapts, and who thrives.
Several players have flourished under this environment, none more so than Phoenix Crossland. The opening rounds have been a remarkable platform in reigniting his NRL career, and under Holbrook, he has rediscovered his form. Thrust into key roles and the weight of leadership, Crossland has directed attacks with composure, ignited momentum swings, and provided the spine with stability in the face of chaos.
Holbrook's rare 'care factor' and culture of trust have allowed him and the rest of the team to excel, proving that good coaching isn't just strategy. It's belief, accountability, and empowerment.
The contrast with O'Brien's style was most visible in Round 4, when the Knights faced the Canterbury Bulldogs.
O'Brien, now an attacking coach under Cameron Ciraldo, fielded a near full-strength Bulldogs side. Newcastle, even without key forwards Trey Mooney and a temporarily sidelined Dylan Lucas, adapted, outplayed their former coach's team, and demonstrated that resilience, culture, and cohesion can beat talent and firepower when managed properly.
Perhaps the lack of talk, even if it is positive, is a factor in itself for their growth.
Last year, the headlines were negative, but this year, the team doesn't need media validation. They don't need commentary to dictate their game. Instead, they speak for themselves on the field, adapting to chaos, taking opportunities, and letting their performance do the talking. The lack of external pressure may even be fueling their form, allowing them to focus on execution and culture rather than narrative.
But still, why isn't anyone talking about this? Although we tend to grab hold of negative coaching reviews and often reserve them for veterans such as Bellamy and Cleary, it's important to give our flowers to those who are defying the odds.
Although some will read this and scoff, proclaiming ‘they haven't even played Round 5', the results are still there.
An early-season launch pad is crucial for teams and players who struggled last year. Their start matters, and not every side is blessed with the unprecedented talents of a Penrith or Brisbane to simply switch on and turn things around overnight.
A team once at rock bottom is thriving, players are stepping up, and a culture of accountability and adaptability is taking hold. Justin Holbrook is quietly orchestrating one of the most impressive turnarounds we have recently seen, and we need to start taking notice.
With the Knights now set to face the Raiders and potentially secure another win, the conversation should finally turn to how far Holbrook can take this team. Some may even say early calls of coach of the year may not be too far away.
Although winning is everything in a race for the top, the Knights' real test will be sustainable performances, ensuring they don't fall flat when it matters most. A loss isn't the end of the story; it's how the team responds that defines them, as we saw in their resilience against the Bulldogs.
If Holbrook can maintain this culture of adaptability and care across the full season, the Knights could prove that last year's struggles were not a setback, but a launchpad for rebuilding and success.
