How Canada has emerged as a surprise influence on the Knights

Canada was pivotal in getting Kalyn Ponga’s season back on track. Now it can be revealed that Adam O’Brien also has a reason to thank the land of the maple leaf.

Adam O’Brien has been working with a mentor since the back end of last season. Picture: Getty Images)

Canada has emerged as the most unlikely of places to have helped shaped Newcastle’s premiership charge.

Kalyn Ponga had a well-publicised stint in Canada in March to help with his concussion battles which enabled him to return to the field and in turn produce his career-best football.

But now it can be revealed that another person in the land of the maple leaf has had a strong influence on the Knights.

Newcastle coach Adam O’Brien has been using a secret mentor of his own. Cody Royle – a coach of coaches – has been working closely with O’Brien since the back end of last season. Royle has been instrumental in ensuring O’Brien remains in control of his emotions and his messages remain clear.

Newcastle coach Adam O'Brien with his life coach, Cody Royle, in the coach's box during the Knights' round four clash with Canberra. Picture: Fox Sports.

O’Brien contacted Royle – an Australian based in Canada – after reading his book “The Tough Stuff”, which was recommended to him by Manly coach Anthony Seibold.

“We had a feeling out conversation and then we agreed to work together before the end of that conversation,” Royle said from Canada.

“We weren’t talking about Knights or coaching. We were talking about the NFL and passions outside the sport. It was a mateship that underpinned it.

“What I sensed from him is that he had this vision for how the team was going to play. He said to me on a call a year and a bit ago that he wanted to have a home semi-final.

“I’ve worked with some high level coaches but I haven’t seen someone with such laser focus particularly around the time when his job was on the line.”

The pair communicate multiple time a week. Even on game days. Royle flew to Australia earlier this year and sat alongside O’Brien in the coaches box and listened to his dressing room addresses to the players. He came out in the pre-season too to help with planning the season ahead.

“We treat him as a performer,” Royle said.

“There is no 12-step process. We build everything from scratch. We look at his cognitive load and how much he was doing which detracted from his abilities.

Cody Royle has been working closely with Adam O’Brien since the back end of last season. Credit: Fox Sports.

“We’ve mapped out his whole year. We look at him as a rugby league player and the coaching equivalent of that. We had to make sure that he was ready to perform come game day.”

Royle works with the Toronto Raptors in the NBA and has spent time with Manchester United’s youth coaches. He also works alongside Australian Opals coach Sandy Brondello.

“(O’Brien’s) consistency has been off the charts,” Royle said. “He has a dedication to little things like starting his day with a morning swim. He has chosen not to have a drink at night where he may have in the past.

“I sit and watch him deliver his halftime talk during the broadcasts and you can see he is in the same spot, seated forward and giving calm instructions.”

Royle has been on hand when O’Brien was not only coaching for his career but dealing with a private family heartache with the death of his mum Maree in April.

But during that time his focus on his task never shifted.

“He has that edge to him and he was frustrated that he couldn’t bring his vision to life,” Royle said. “But he was as cool as a cucumber. I’m not making that up. He didn’t deviate. He was very impressive. He wouldn’t bring about his future up. I had to bring it up.

“He was so in the zone.”