Newcastle's coaching carousel and the '80%' problem

The boys dive into the impending coaching shake-up at the Newcastle Knights. With news breaking that Adam O’Brien’s tenure is likely coming to an end, the panel discusses why a coach who made four finals in six years is being shown the door and whether his potential replacement, Blake Green, is the right man for the job.

The End for Adam O’Brien

Despite a statistically solid run, Kent believes O’Brien has become a victim of the intense pressure and a lack of support infrastructure in Newcastle. A critical turning point, Kent noted, was O’Brien’s public outburst earlier this season where he criticised fans for "not knowing footy."

"I think at times he was his own worst enemy. Newcastle fans are some of the best educated in the NRL, and he disenchanted them. I find him very knowledgeable and engaging, but I do think he has struggled with the pressure of the job. One of the things people don't appreciate is the fishbowl existence—constant scrutiny and criticism. I don't think he’s had the support around him he needed."

Kent elaborated that O’Brien appeared to be working at "80%" across too many different roles because the club’s management structure was inadequate. This lack of focus led to a decline in basic on-field skills, with Kent highlighting simple blown tries as evidence that the fundamentals aren't being taught effectively at the club.

The Blake Green Gamble

The frontrunner to replace O’Brien appears to be current assistant and attacking coach Blake Green. However, Kent raised serious concerns about promoting from within a team that currently has the worst attacking record in the competition.

"Blake Green is the favourite for the job. He’s their attacking coach, they’ve scored less points than anyone in the competition, and they’re going to make that guy the head coach? That’s the fact. He’s got no head coaching experience and no proven success as an assistant. The club is looking to appoint a guy because he’s popular with the players, but that is a disaster. That is not the criteria for picking a coach."

The 'Distant' Management of Phil Gardner

Kent didn't hold back on the club's administrative failures, specifically targeting departing CEO Phil Gardner. While Gardner was successful in running licensed clubs, Kent argued he lacked the specific expertise required to run a high-performance football operation.

"Phil Gardner is a guy who is very successful at running licensed clubs, but he’s not a football club operator. It’s a mistake so many people make. On his watch, the Newcastle Knights—once the best nursery for juniors in the country—have seen that nursery slowly wither away. The football operation failed to recognise it, and the coach had so much going on he didn't have the time to put it in place."

Titans' New Era: Josh Hannay and Scott Sattler

Turning to the Gold Coast, the panel discussed the appointment of Josh Hannay and the total overhaul of the Titans' front office. Kent praised the decision to bring in Scott Sattler as General Manager of Football to provide the structure that Des Hasler lacked.

"Des is a bit of a control freak and traditionally did a lot of that stuff himself, but the game has changed. The Titans have cleverly brought in Scott Sattler as GM of Football. Sattler is going to have a much bigger say in the direction of the club. Unless you have that infrastructure, I don't care how good the coach is—Des is a proven winner and he walked out with a 30% record because the system wasn't there."

Ask Kenty: Origin, Rule Changes, and Body Cams

The episode concluded with a fan Q&A covering everything from the length of the season to referee technology.

• On shortening the season: Kent dismissed the idea, arguing the NRL cannot surrender ground to the AFL. "When you put your grown-up pants on, you can't surrender ground to the opposition sport."
• On Referee Body Cams: "I hope not. I don't even like the fact the ref is miked up. I think it’s taken more away from the game than it’s given."
• On the Penrith 16-man rest: Kent called Ivan Cleary's decision "clever" and "pragmatic," even if it frustrates broadcasters and opposing fans.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxKOhK2JEB0

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Watch the full episode on Fanatics TV:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxKOhK2JEB0

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