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Find your Sport Nation frequencyPush for shock option to replace O'Brien as Knights set to part ways with coach
Sam Kosack • July 14th, 2025 6:42 pm
The Newcastle Knights are set to part ways with coach Adam O’Brien at the end of the season after six years in charge.
Barring a late-season resurgence, the Knights have opted to pay out O’Brien, as reported by Michael Chammas.
In his five completed seasons, O'Brien has made finals four times, but only progressed beyond the first week once.
O’Brien triggered a guaranteed two-year extension at the end of last season after finishing in the top 12, however the club have decided to move in a different direction after the Knights have struggled at the bottom of the ladder for much of the season.
There are reportedly different pushes amongst the club for either assistant coach Blake Green or Queensland assistant Josh Hannay to take over the head coach role, however SEN’s Bryan Fletcher wants to see the club take a different approach.
“I'm pushing for my man Willie Peters,” Fletcher said on SEN 1170 Drive.
"Willie Peters will do the double this year, Challenge Cup and Super League.
“Get him back… He was assistant (coach) there.”
Peters was assistant coach at Newcastle between 2020 and 2022 in Adam O’Brien’s first three years at the helm.
He currently coaches the Hull Kingston Rovers in the Super League, and since departing the Knights at the end of 2022 to take over the club, has come fourth, second, and first in 2024.
NRL great Braith Anasta, who also manages Peters, put the Hull KR coach up to potentially coach the Gold Coast Titans should Des Hasler be removed, and revealed Peters is keen to return to the NRL.
“We’ve had no talks with any NRL club at this stage,” Anasta told CODE Sports.
“If a job comes up in the NRL, he will certainly be open to coming home to Australia.
“His work ethic, desire and drive is next level. He is a winner. Now that he has transformed Hull KR into a successful team, he can succeed at any club.”
The Knights play the New Zealand Warriors this week at home.
