The Newcastle Knights and head coach Adam O’Brien mutually agree he will leave at the end of the 2025 season.
O’Brien says he feels criticism of his 2025 record has become a “distraction” for the playing…..
Newcastle Knights coach Adam O’Brien will depart the NRL club at the end of the 2025 regular season, despite having two years left to run on his contract.
The decision has been described as a “mutual agreement” in a statement released by the club today.
The coach confirmed the move at a press conference in Newcastle on Thursday morning, telling reporters he approached the club about leaving.
“The one thing that stood out for me: I’m a big distraction,” O’Brien said.
“If I couldn’t [give] them the ultimate prize to win a comp, then the way to help them now is to give them a new coach.”
Seven losses in a row
Pressure on O’Brien has been building this season, with the Knights currently second-last on the ladder with only six wins from 22 games.
The side was defeated by the Brisbane Broncos at Newcastle’s Hunter Stadium last weekend, in what was its seventh consecutive loss.
O’Brien joined the Knights in 2020, tasked with rejuvenating the club after it picked up three consecutive wooden spoons in 2015, 2016, and 2017 and poor results in 2018 and 2019
