The Knights have confirmed Nathan Brown will coach out the 2019 season before being moved on, with Newcastle set to bring in a new coach for the 2020 campaign.

A top eight finish was the focus of the Knights this season, and Newcastle CEO Philip Gardner told the club's website it felt like the right time for Brown and the Knights to part ways.

โ€œNathan will go down as one of the most important coaches in Knights history,โ€ Gardner told newcastleknights.com.au.

โ€œWhen he joined our Club ahead of the 2016 season, it was at its lowest ebb. The sheer size and scale of the task he was faced with was monumental. It would have broken a lesser man.

โ€œPut simply, it would be wrong to measure his contribution to the Knights in wins and losses alone.

โ€œNathan shaped our roster as he did our Club. He once again made Newcastle a place that players wanted to not just play in, but play for.

โ€œHis record speaks for itself. He has laid the platform for the team to return to premiership contention, and he has been the driving force behind adding both depth and quality to the roster.

โ€œHe brought true world class talent back to the club in the signings of Mitchell Pearce, Kalyn Ponga, David Klemmer, Tim Glasby and more. He also led the development of home-grown talents like Lachlan Fitzgibbon, Daniel Saifiti, and Mitch Barnett, who all grew immeasurably under his leadership.

โ€œAnd in the years to come, we will see his hard work pay off when a new wave of local juniors enter the ranks of Knights NRL players โ€“ and this time, they will be ready to step up to the challenge.

โ€œBut more than that, Nathanโ€™s calm and consistent manner is rare among the ranks of NRL coaches. He is a leader of men and a good man himself. His respect for his players, colleagues and the game sets him apart and is something he is known for, not just within the Club, but across Rugby League.

10 COMMENTS

  1. Could see Paul green heading there premiership winning coach who desperately need a change of clubs would be a win for the cowboys and a strong pickup for the knights

  2. I’m obviously not a Knights fan but if I was I’d being asking for clarification here.
    They’ve said a lot of positive things about Brown, and as an outsider looking in I’d agree, so where’s the leeway?
    The way I see it Brown has a better chance, or at the very least an even chance with any other coach to get this squad into the finals next year, and he’s certainly done the hard yards to get it there, as management claim to recognise, but he’s moved on anyway.
    I think it’s wrong, shortsighted, and poor form, but guess what, it makes the current management look good (proactive) and there’s now a vacancy for next year’s coach of the year.

  5. Stan, he is the old woody back with 5 aliases after he was booted.
    Its a little freaky reading the exchanges between all them all in the same forums.
    At his nursing home they refer to him as Sybil.

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