Knights coach Justin Holbrook has taken a playful shot at his old boss, Trent Robinson, in the lead-up to Sunday’s grand final.

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The coaches faced off one last time at a press conference on Thursday before the decider at Accor Stadium.

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Holbrook had two stints under Robinson as his assistant coach between 2014 and 2017 and during the 2024 and 2025 seasons.

The Knights coach was asked about facing Robinson and his former club.

“I had a great time working at the Roosters. They used to have a good staff, a good club, not sure what’s happened to them,” Holbrook said with a smile.

Holbrook’s mood on Thursday summed up the way his Knights have been feeling throughout the finals series.

After defeating the Rabbitohs, Warriors and Panthers, the players were seen bouncing around at training like they were having the time of their lives as finals underdogs.

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Holbrook was also asked what he learned under Robinson during his two stints at the Roosters and he quickly came back with: “No, no, none.”

“I’ve learned heaps, I’ve been reading it all this week… but no, look, he’s a great guy, Robbo,” Holbrook said.

“He’s well-respected and well-loved in the game and a great mate as well, but we’re not mates this week.”

Holbrook then revealed his soft spot for his old club, saying he would be supporting one Rooster team on grand final day.

“They’re a good club, the Roosters, and I’m happy to cheer their NRLW team in the earlier game, so we’ll go for the Roosters there and then jump ship back to the Knights for the men’s. So there you go, I’m a nice guy,” he said.

Robinson was also in a jovial mood as he sat near his opponent and former workmate, who he said would have made it to the top with or without him.

“We’re really good mates, good things happen to good people and he’s deserved everything that’s happened up there at Newcastle,” Robinson said.

“The story’s not about us. We will be good mates no matter what happens on the weekend, it’s about how our teams play. He was going to get it with or without me.”

Newcastle Knights coach Justin Holbrook was all smiles at Thursday’s press conference.Source: FOX SPORTS

Holbrook was credited with turning English Super League giants St Helens around and led them to the 2019 premiership before coming back to Australia to coach the Titans.

Hindsight says he was unfairly sacked by the struggling Gold Coast franchise.

“It was a pretty easy choice to get him back in 2024 when the Titans didn’t end as he wanted,” Robinson said.

“He’s always been a great coach. You look at his success through the junior grades and his demeanour, it’s always been a real positive.

“There’s a clear knowledge of footy and there’s a good man in there.”

At Thursday’s press conference, Robinson was asked if he and the Roosters were bothered at all by all the support and attention the Knights had received since qualifying for their first grand final in 25 years.

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Robinson admitted Newcastle’s success was good for the game, and said Roosters supporters would be seen and heard on Sunday.

“That’s a great community, and it’s great to celebrate. You don’t look down on that. The support that we’ve had, the Roosters supporters, it’s been incredible to see the jerseys and they’ll be out there on Sunday,” Robinson said.

“We’re so proud of all of our supporters where they are in Australia and overseas, and we hear them and we’re going to play for our community as well.”

Holbrook knows the Newcastle support alone won’t get his team over the line against the more fancied Roosters outfit.

“We had to go over to New Zealand two weeks ago and we had the whole country going against us and we were good enough to win. So we know that it’s not going to affect the Roosters one bit,” he said.