Michael Cheika Emerges as Shock Candidate for Knights Coaching Job…
Newcastle, September 8, 2025 — In a dramatic twist to the Newcastle Knights’ long-running coaching saga, reports today reveal that former Wallabies head coach Michael Cheika has surprisingly been added to the list of potential successors to Adam O’Brien, whose tenure concludes at the end of the 2025 NRL season .
Cheika’s emergence as a candidate marks the latest in a string of high-profile names being considered by the Knights ahead of next year’s appointment process. To date, the club has approached a total of eight contenders, including in-house assistants like Brian McDermott, as well as former NRL coaches such as Dean Young, Justin Holbrook, John Morris, Matt King, Paul McGregor, and Blake Green .
Sources indicate that the club, whose 2025 season has been beleaguered by poor performances—including a heavy 66–10 defeat by the Eels in the final round that cost them the battle to avoid the wooden spoon—has already initiated contact with Cheika’s representatives, signaling serious interest .
Cheika, a seasoned coach known for his tenure with the Wallabies, Argentina Pumas, and a stint in Super Rugby, is currently part of the Sydney Roosters’ coaching staff—but remains available after concluding his brief but impactful appointment as Leicester Tigers’ head coach in Europe earlier this year .
