Newcastle will part with coach Nathan Brown at the end of this NRL season.
Despite reassurances in recent weeks from club hierarchy that Brown would lead the side in 2020, it was announced he would exit the club.
Just four weeks ago, CEO Philip Gardner said Brown would continue in his role next year but, on Tuesday, said he would leave at season’s end.
“Nathan will go down as one of the most-important coaches in Knights’ history,” Gardner said.
“When he joined our club ahead of the 2016 season, it was at its lowest ebb. The sheer size and scale of the task he was faced with was monumental. It would have broken a lesser man.
“Put simply, it would be wrong to measure his contribution to the Knights in wins and losses alone.
“Nathan shaped our roster as he did our club. He once again made Newcastle a place that players wanted to not just play in, but play for.”
Brown said he was proud of his accomplishments after transforming the club from cellar dwellers to finals contenders.
“My main job was to come here and put the club back together,” Brown said.
“It’s been a tough but enjoyable job. I’ve met lots of great people and I feel the club is far better off for me coming here.”
The Knights have lost seven of their past nine games to sit in 10th spot despite a star-studded roster which had been expected to be a finals contender.
Brown last year signed an open-ended performance-based contract with the club after lifting them off the bottom of the ladder, following three-straight wooden-spoon seasons, and into 11th place.
The Knights, led by Kalyn Ponga, Mitchell Pearce and David Klemmer, looked like premiership contenders midway through the season.
After their round-11 win over the Sydney Roosters, they were in the top four.
But a recent six-game losing streak brought them back to earth and appears to be the impetus behind Brown’s exit.
Roosters assistant coaches Craig Fitzgibbon and Adam O’Brien have emerged as early favourites for the post.
Queensland coach Kevin Walters has repeatedly stated his desire for a club coaching job and served as the Knights’ halves coach in 2014 under Wayne Bennett.
