NRL 2021: Adam O’Brien signs new deal at Newcastle Knights

Adam O’Brien is focused on repaying the faith Newcastle’s hierarchy have shown in him after extending his deal at the club.

Melbourne wasn’t even a consideration for re-signed Newcastle coach Adam O’Brien, who is now in line to be the Knights’ second-longest serving mentor.

O’Brien is focused on repaying the faith Newcastle’s hierarchy have shown in him after extending his contract until the end of 2024 after just one season in charge.

O’Brien had long been touted as a potential replacement for Craig Bellamy in Melbourne, having undertaken a long apprenticeship under the super coach before being rewarded with a life membership of the Storm.

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Adam O'Brien has extended his contract at the Newcastle Knights. Picture: AAP

But when the Knights kickstarted the renegotiation process before Christmas, O’Brien’s goal was clear, despite the timing of the two-year extension “coming out of the blue”.

“It was an easy decision,” O’Brien said. “I haven’t spoken to anyone else at all. There were no conversations with any parties and it was a bit presumptuous that there would be with Melbourne. They didn’t speak with me at all.

“I was grateful when Newcastle made a brave decision to give an untried bloke a go in the first place. That always played on my mind. And then to extend me – I’m rapt.”

Only premiership-winning coach Michael Hagan, with six years, will have led the Knights for more seasons by the time O’Brien’s latest deal ends. Bellamy and Cronulla coach John Morris are off-contract at season’s end and there is pressure on Brad Arthur. While Bellamy will decide his own future, the opening rounds of the competition will dictate Morris’ fate with the likes of Shane Flanagan and Craig Fitzgibbon already touted as a potential option.

O’Brien said he would take plenty of learnings out of his first season when he led the Knights to a finals appearance.

Knights coach Adam O'Brien took Newcastle to the finals last season. Picture: AAP

“The big thing was from day one I felt like I needed to give these guys a strong and hard pre-season and get them to love defence because ultimately that’s what represents our region and town,” O’Brien said.

“Our fans will walk away from the game not giving their feedback from the scoreboard but they want to see a team have a crack. I gave them a pre-season based on that and we started that way.

“We factored breaks into the season that would have helped with the hard pre-season but when COVID hit we were hit really hard by a lot of travel.

“The learnings from me is I haven’t gone as hard at them. I’m prepared to build the season.

“It’s a longer season so we can add layers to our footy through the year. I need to be patient and build our season and make sure we’re at our best at the back end of the year.

Adam O’Brien says he needs to be patient with his Knights team this season. Picture: AAP

“We need to close the gap between our best and our worst performances. We are an emotional team and I’m an emotional coach so we need to make sure we are not riding the rollercoaster week in, week out.”

The Knights play Melbourne minus a host of players including Kalyn Ponga, Blake Green, Edrick Lee, Hymel Hunt, Lachlan Fitzgibbon and Mitch Barnett. Barnett and Hunt are expected to play in round one against Canterbury while O’Brien is resigned to being without Ponga and Green for at least the opening month.

Originally published as NRL 2021: Adam O’Brien signs new deal at Newcastle Knights