Nathan Brown wants to take Knights into finals before he leaves
After Newcastle hailed him as one of the “most important coaches” in the club’s history, Nathan Brown has one last target before he leaves: take the Knights into the NRL finals.
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Fallen Knight Nathan Brown is confident he can still make this year’s finals despite his shock split from the club.
In an unprecedented chapter in the Newcastle club’s history, Brown will complete the last three rounds of the 2019 season with the 10th-placed Knights under the administration which no longer sees a future in the 46-year-old.
The decision by the Knights to announce on Monday they were parting ways with Brown after four seasons caught the majority of the rugby league fraternity by surprise.
However, The Daily Telegraph can reveal that it was due to mounting speculation emanating out of the Knights last week that led Brown to call a meeting with Gardner to discuss his coaching future on Monday afternoon.
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Brown had been made aware of speculation that the Knights had begun weighing up whether to go in another direction in 2020.
The speculation included a suggestion that the Knights had already begun seeking out potential replacements.
Brown met with Gardner and the discussion concluded with the pair deciding to sever ties — but not until the Knights season is officially over.
“He told Phil, ‘I can still take this team to the finals’,’’ a source close to Brown said.
“He wants to finish the job.’’
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Suddenly without any input into the future of the club he arrived at four years ago, Brown is in the unusual position of driving the Knights to the finals — beginning with a must-win clash with the Wests Tigers at Campbelltown on Saturday.
The decision to part ways was made easier by Brown’s unique year-by-year contract.
It meant that Gardner could cut the head coach loose without having to negotiate a payout.
It’s anticipated that Gardner will attempt to sign Brown’s replacement on a similar constructed contract, which has no official end date.
After the Monday meeting, Brown phoned his co-captain’s Mitchell Pearce and Tim Glasby to break the news that he was handing over the reigns to another coach.
He waited until Monday to inform the rest of the playing and coaching staff that after two wooden-spoons in 2016 and 2017, an 11th-placed finish in 2018, he was handing over the reigns to another coach.
Brown has become the fifth coach in 10 seasons to part ways.
Inconsistent team selections, a mid-season form slump and the shock release of gun centre Jesse Ramien contributed to Brown’s departure.
It is believed the side’s meek 20-14 surrender to the Parramatta Eels with their season on the line was also a factor.
However, in a glowing press statement on Monday, Gardner paid tribute to Brown’s ability to recruit and rebuild the club from the ground-up.
“Nathan will go down as one of the most important coaches in Knights’ history,” Gardner said.
“When he joined our club ahead of the 2016 season, it was at its lowest ebb. The sheer size and scale of the task he was faced with was monumental. It would have broken a lesser man.”
“Nathan shaped our roster as he did our club. He once again made Newcastle a place that players wanted to not just play in, but play for.
“He brought true world-class talent back to the club in the signings of Mitchell Pearce, Kalyn Ponga, David Klemmer, Tim Glasby and more.
“When the Knights return to the upper echelons of the NRL, Nathan Brown will be able to take his fair share of the credit.”
The Knights can still qualify for the finals with matches against the Tigers (away), Gold Coast (home) and Penrith (away) to come.
“My main job was to come here and put the club back together,” Brown said.
“It’s been a tough but enjoyable job. I’ve met lots of great people and I feel the club is far better off for me coming here.
“The roster and salary cap issues have been resolved and there’s the potential of a team to have sustained success.
“A lot of the heavy lifting has been done and now I’m leaving it to the next group of club leaders to continue the job.”