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Justin Holbrook supports the NRL Beanie for Brain Cancer Round. (AAP Image\/Darren Pateman)<\/p>\nJustin Holbrook is still pinching himself after \u201cwinning\u201d the race to mentor the besieged Newcastle Knights.<\/p>\n
In fact, the 49-year-old \u2013 who made his playing debut at the Hunter organisation in 1999 under Warren Ryan \u2013 long held an ambition to return to the club in a coaching role one day.<\/p>\n
And, that time arrived last week when the former halfback signed a deal to guide the NRL outfit over the next three seasons.<\/p>\n
It follows a successful gig at St Helens in the English Super League, a brief stint at the Gold Coast Titans (2020-23) and as an assistant to Trent Robinson at the Sydney Roosters.<\/p>\n
Justin Holbrook supports the NRL Beanie for Brain Cancer Round. (AAP Image\/Darren Pateman)<\/p>\n
\u201cEver since I got into coaching, I\u2019ve always wanted to come back [here],\u201d Holbrook said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI spent time in Newcastle as a player (1999-2000)\u2026 and I absolutely loved it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI loved the city and I love how big rugby league is in the Hunter.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, over the years, I hoped I\u2019d get an opportunity at the Knights.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven this season, when I came up with the Roosters, I spoke to Trent about it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI told him \u2018I\u2019d love to coach up here one day\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cLuckily enough, it\u2019s now happened and I\u2019m excited about it.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd, while I couldn\u2019t wait to get up here, I wanted to finish everything off at the Roosters.<\/p>\n
\u201cI must thank them for their assistance, too.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of times, it doesn\u2019t end so nicely if you announce you\u2019re going to another club.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut, they were great, very supportive.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, I did the end-of-year reviews with Trent (earlier in the week) and attended the presentation night, before driving to Newcastle on Friday morning.\u201d<\/p>\n
Even though the Knights collected the wooden spoon in 2025, after a horrific run of injuries, Holbrook knows what he needs to do to gain success.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s adopt Newcastle\u2019s ethos again.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Knights\u2019 DNA lays in the region,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s what sticks out for me.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is a huge love for the game, not just from the players, but from the entire city, too.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis area remains a rugby league heartland.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I was a player, or came here with an opposition team, everyone knew Newcastle was built on hard work and that you were in for a tough day at the office.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, people want to see that in their side.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat will never change.<\/p>\n
\u201cThrough the Knights\u2019 successful years, it always centred on rugged defence and a freedom in attack.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s what I want to try and instil with the boys.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Justin Holbrook. (AAP Image\/Dave Hunt) <\/p>\n
Despite Newcastle\u2019s lowly position on the ladder in 2025, Holbrook remains confident he can turn things around.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously, I\u2019ve just arrived and only getting my feet under the desk,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever, this situation isn\u2019t new to me.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I arrived at the Titans from England, they\u2019d finished with the wooden spoon as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut, I feel way better equipped this time around.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne, in terms of experience and, two, with the connection to this club.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn the Gold Coast, I didn\u2019t know any of the staff or any of the playing group.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhereas here, it\u2019s different.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know the playing group and what the Knights have done, especially with a few signings the past couple of weeks.<\/p>\n
\u201cHonestly, I believe it\u2019s all heading in the right direction.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeter O\u2019Sullivan\u2019s involved in the recruiting, so a lot of good work\u2019s already been done, while Peter Parr and Chris James (director of football) are very experienced campaigners in the front office.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve told me about what\u2019s occurring in the pathways, which is terrific.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery organisation is aware that if you can develop your own players, you don\u2019t need to buy them.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat helps in every facet, from the salary cap to the connection of the club.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019ve got them in your own nursery, it\u2019s family, it\u2019s community.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe good thing about Newcastle is that it\u2019s already being addressed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI spoke with the staff and heard the effort they\u2019re putting into the area, so hopefully we\u2019ll reap the rewards from it.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, those things take time to fix, but I\u2019m excited about the future.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously, I am front and centre of the club being the head coach.<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever, there\u2019s plenty of good, hard-working people here and many I already know.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, that feels great to be a part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/dylan-brown-2.jpg\")
Will Dylan Brown deliver an NRL premiership to the Newcastle Knights over the next decade? (AAP Image\/Dan Himbrechts) <\/p>\n
On top of Holbrook\u2019s to-do list will be getting the best out of marquee recruit Dylan Brown, who arrives in 2026 on record-breaking money.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis best football is ahead of him, so I\u2019m looking forward to working with him,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think all the top sides need their spine to be key players.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnfortunately, at the Knights over the past few years, there\u2019s been a lot of chopping and changing in that area.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, it\u2019s a good strategic decision by the club to lock someone in.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are not many strike players in the game and, when there are, they\u2019re hard to get out of their current organisations.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fact Dylan\u2019s on a long-term deal is great for myself as a coach.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s one area I don\u2019t have to worry about.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a classy player, with \u2013 I believe \u2013 his best years ahead of him.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll look at what role he\u2019ll play, whether it\u2019s in the No. 6 or No. 7.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he can definitely fill the halfback void, he had the luxury of having Mitchell Moses at Parramatta.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut, we\u2019ll work it out over the pre-season.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the Roosters, we had Sam Walker, Sandon Smith, Chad Townsend and Hugo Savala, so it depends on the style of play we want to adopt.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo me, it doesn\u2019t matter if he\u2019s wearing the seven or six on his back, he can still steer the team around.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just love the way Dylan plays.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, it\u2019s a matter of working out how he\u2019s going to complement the other players and unleashing someone like Kalyn Ponga, who as captain is a huge part of our side.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is really important we get that right.<\/p>\n
\u201cLike I said, we\u2019ll work it out over time, once all the boys return to training.<\/p>\n
\u201cElite players are easier to move around than you think.<\/p>\n
\u201cAgain, I refer to the Roosters where I\u2019ve just come from\u2026 Hugo (Savala) trained in the centres during the pre-season, thinking he wouldn\u2019t play in the halves.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut, he ended up there and was one of their better players.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, I\u2019m excited about the situation\u2026 and I\u2019m confident we\u2019ll nail it.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Newcastle Knights young gun Fletcher Sharpe. (AAP Image\/Mark Evans)<\/p>\n
Holbrook\u2019s equally-thrilled to join forces with Newcastle\u2019s brightest young talent, including Fletcher Sharpe, Fletcher Hunt, Jermaine McEwen, Cody Hopwood and Elijah Salesa-Leaumoana, to name a handful.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, definitely,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd, that\u2019s the key.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve spoken a lot about the pathways at Newcastle and, once you get them developed right in those groups, they can come through the NRL and fit in pretty easy.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are a number of those guys, like the aforementioned blokes, who I\u2019m really looking forward to working with.<\/p>\n
\u201cI realise 2025 wasn\u2019t exactly what Knights\u2019 fans wanted, everyone wants to win\u2026 and I get that.<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever, there are so many positive signs around the place.<\/p>\n
\u201cHonestly, it bodes well for the Knights \u2013 and the Hunter \u2013 moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
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