![\"Adrian](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1788968310_601_4ab4a6c753559951c26e831e823d71d29090f818.png\")
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September 9, 2026 \u2014 7:30pm<\/p>\n
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Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n AAA<\/p>\n It has all the ingredients for a hit reality television show.<\/p>\n Three rugby league coaches, living together for more than two months, in a three-bedroom Airbnb on Newcastle\u2019s Bar Beach last summer.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n It is here, in a share house in Merewether, that the Knights took the first steps in ridding themselves of the wooden spoon and commencing a storied run that has taken them into the finals. The first big call Newcastle coach Justin Holbrook made after succeeding Adam O\u2019Brien was arranging accommodation and inviting assistant Brett White and Steve Hales to live with him.<\/p>\n It resulted in a trio who had never worked together before spending every waking moment together from the start of pre-season last October until the Christmas break. In doing so, they formed a strong bond that helped them identify their coaching philosophy and the culture they wanted to instil into a side that became the NRL\u2019s biggest improver in 2026.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was the best thing for us,\u201d said Holbrook, whose team takes on South Sydney in an elimination final on Friday night. \u201cI\u2019d worked with both of them over the years separately, but they had never met each other.<\/p>\n \u201cWith us starting straight away, none of our families had moved up. They put us all in together and it worked out as the best thing that could have happened.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were together every day, would come home from work and go out and have dinner. We were always communicating and connecting. It was a really enjoyable time.\u201d<\/p>\n It quickly became evident that the housemates had very different personalities. Holbrook and White would be in bed by 8pm most nights, in order to train early the next day. Hales was a night owl who had little interest in exercise. Or cleaning.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen Halesy worked out we had to do the dishes, he wanted to put a stop to that,\u201d Holbrook chuckled. \u201cHe\u2019s not very well domesticated.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen Whitey\u2019s young bloke come down to stay, we thought he was a five-star Michelin chef, he made some great dinners for us.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had the cheap eat nights at Newcastle, we\u2019d rotate through the different pubs and steak nights. We did a lot of that, not a lot of cooking.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite their differences, they quickly formed strong bonds. They would swim at the beach every day after work, play wall tennis with the locals and take training sessions out into the community.<\/p>\n During a pre-season staff development day, as is custom at the club, the newbies are required to lead a singalong on the bus. When it was Hales\u2019 turn, he chose What about me?<\/p>\n He had barely got through the first verse when a colleague handed him a mobile phone. On the Facetime call was Shannon Noll.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cSomeone tells me you might need some help with this song,\u201d Noll said, before accompanying Hales on the tune.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was always something going on, it was always upbeat,\u201d Holbrook said.<\/p>\n Such is the turnaround at Newcastle this season that Holbrook is one of the leading contenders for the Dally M coach of the year award. Regardless of whether he wins it, the former Titans mentor is thankful to again be working at the Knights, where he made his NRL playing debut as the understudy to Immortal halfback Andrew Johns.<\/p>\n \u201cI always hoped one day to coach Newcastle and the fact I\u2019m doing it now, I\u2019m grateful for that opportunity,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI love coaching, I\u2019m excited coming to work every day and that always helps. I enjoy who I\u2019m working with \u2013 that makes my job easier.\u201d<\/p>\n Asked if he believed the Knights could make the finals in those early days in the Merewether sharehouse, Holbrook said: \u201cYeah, we did. It began with us coaches coming in and putting some good plans and principles in place.<\/p>\n \u201cOnce the players come back to pre-season training, they are the ones who gave me confidence through their work ethic.<\/p>\n Related Article \u201cWe had a lot of work to do as players and coaches, but we all gelled together and we\u2019re enjoying what we\u2019re doing. When you\u2019re enjoying it you work harder, because you don\u2019t see it as work.<\/p>\n \u201cThe players delivered in that area. We were confident right from the start.\u201d<\/p>\n Sports news, results and expert commentary. Sign up for our Sport newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n![\"Newcastle](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/dac3d36e7bf2d95c74e64b00e7115d8c82a8c547.jpeg\")
Newcastle Knights coach Justin Holbrook lived with his assistants, Brett White and Steve Hales, during the NRL pre-season.<\/p>\n![\"Knights](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/89b1d719846b340d5541618445612fd9e63ea6e9.jpeg\")
Knights assistants Steve Hales and Brett White.<\/p>\n![\"Liam](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/16ec04c0014dced47851b1844b5a550f6624e7b1.jpeg\")
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