Newcastle Knights coach Adam O’Brien will depart the NRL club at the end of the 2025 regular season, despite having two years left to run on his contract.
The decision has been described as a “mutual agreement” in a statement released by the club today.Â
The coach confirmed the move at a press conference in Newcastle on Thursday morning, telling reporters he approached the club about leaving.
“The one thing that stood out for me: I’m a big distraction,” O’Brien said.
“If there was one gift I could give the playing group [and] the supporters that pack that stadium every week, is remove that distraction.
“If I couldn’t [give] them the ultimate prize to win a comp, then the way to help them now is to give them a new coach.”Â
Seven losses in a row
Pressure on O’Brien has been building this season, with the Knights currently second-last on the ladder with only six wins from 22 games.
The side was defeated by the Brisbane Broncos at Newcastle’s Hunter Stadium last weekend, in what was its seventh consecutive loss.
O’Brien joined the Knights in 2020, tasked with rejuvenating the club after it picked up three consecutive wooden spoons in 2015, 2016, and 2017 and poor results in 2018 and 2019.
Newcastle made the NRL finals under his guidance in 2020, 2021, 2023 and 2024, but failed to progress past the first round of the playoffs.
The move comes only days after the last-placed Gold Coast Titans announced its coach Des Hasler would also depart at the end of the season, with Josh Hannay to take over in 2026.
Adam O’Brien announces his decision at a media conference. (ABC Newcastle: Ben Clifford)
The Newcastle Knights are yet to confirm a replacement for O’Brien, who said coaching the club had been “the greatest honour” of his life.
“The decision is made easier because both parties are in agreement,” he said.
“It’s the right time to give someone else a go.
“We’d have to win 10 or 15 games straight next year for there to be no speculation.”