Adam O’Brien to swing the axe after latest loss

The Knights started the year a strong chance of playing finals footy but the side’s top-eight hopes are dissipating with each passing week.

O’Brien took over as Newcastle’s coach last year. Digital image by jason obrien/NRL Photos

Newcastle coach Adam O’Brien is set to overhaul his roster and go to the market to give the club the hard edge it needs to be premiership contenders after being walloped 36-18 by the Wests Tigers.

The 10th placed Knights have only played one team in the top six in the opening 10 rounds and are in danger of missing out on the top eight unless they turn around their lacklustre form.

O’Brien, frustrated with the lack of physical intent from his players against a revitalised Tigers outfit, warned his squad that change was afoot.

“Some of it will be personnel. There will be some changes to this club in the next few years. It is clear,” a fuming O’Brien said.

“If we can’t get (a hard edge) then I have to find a way to get it through recruitment.

“There has been 10 years of not having a whole lot of success and three wooden spoons.

“It is ingrained in us and we have got to find a way to get a winning culture in there and do what the teams do that have tasted success and are willing to put themselves through anything.”

Tempers flared during the Magic Round curtain-raiser. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

O’Brien said his team got “beaten up with and without the ball” against the Tigers despite boasting a pack that includes Origin forwards Daniel Saifiti, David Klemmer and Tyson Frizell.

“We were manhandled, put onto our backs and were not willing to fight hard,” he said.

“We have a week where everyone is writing about our DNA and we get a response, but we have to find a way in this club to learn how to win again and what it takes week-in and week-out, whether it is a personnel thing or the standards.

“This club is used to the rollercoaster that we are on and we’ve got to get off it.

“There were some individuals really off tonight and it starts with your leaders. Your leaders need to lead. Their number one job is to perform well. For the most part I feel like Daniel Saifiti and Jayden Brailey are contributing. It is more than those guys.”

Making O’Brien even more perplexed was the fact that he said there was no inkling prior to games that his players were not mentally switched on.

“We prepare really well during the week. I don’t see it coming at training during the week or in the bus on the way into the stadium but then it is there,” he said.

“I am concerned. Take the scoreboard away and we need to find a way to start with the physical parts of the game.

“We needed to start like we finished last week (in the comeback win over the Raiders) but it seems as though as soon as something goes wrong we capitulate.”

O’Brien said Kalyn Ponga and Blake Green were both in the frame to return from injury against the Cowboys next week but said Hymel Hunt had likely reinjured his hamstring in the loss to the Tigers.

MADGE STICKS UP FOR BELEAGUERED BROOKS

Michael Maguire has launched an impassioned defence of halfback Luke Brooks, saying that “it is crazy” how one player can get vilified as much for the performance of a team.

The Wests Tigers coach was speaking after Brooks had his best game of the season in a 36-18 demolition of the Newcastle Knights in the Magic Round opener.

So often blamed for the Tigers woes, Brooks stood up in running for 183m with a line break, try assist and try of his own capping a stunning return to form.

After hailing his performance, Maguire said Brooks should not be the punching bag when the Tigers fail.

“I can’t believe how much one player can get hammered for what goes on in a team, it is just beyond me,” Maguire fired.

“To be honest it is crazy that people continually think like that about certain people but one thing to Brooksy’s credit is that he goes out and performs like that.

“(The criticism) is pretty relentless but he handles it well. We are a team and we look after each other.”

Maguire was ecstatic at how Moses Mbye and Adam Doueihi handled their positional switches at five-eighth and centre respectively but said he wanted to see more of it against the Warriors next week.

“Let’s back it up. One thing I have experienced at the Wests Tigers is that you don’t want to get too far ahead. You’ve got to make sure you come back and do that over and over,” he said.

“It is just nice to see a happy change room.”

Doueihi was unstoppable at Suncorp Stadium on his way to two tries, a try assist and a line break.

He gave credit to Brooks for managing the game with aplomb and said the number seven had responded to his critics in the best possible fashion.

“It all comes down to the spine and Brooksy wears most of it because he’s been here a long time. I don’t think it is fair on him, it’s more on the team, but Brooksy doesn’t look into that too much,” Doueihi said.

“I thought he managed the game really well. He’s been working on his push support, his anticipation and just playing that unstructured footy. It was his best game of the season.”

The former Rabbitoh vowed that there was more magic to come from the Tigers this year despite their inconsistent start to the season.

“We know we have got a squad here that can do something even though we haven’t got the results. We are a hard working bunch and really honest with our conversations,” he said.

“It was probably the first two halves we’ve put together this season. We are the underdogs in every game. We will enjoy the underdog tag.”