Coach Nathan Brown has left the Newcastle Knights NRL club, effective immediately.

The club says the decision, made in conjunction with Brown, was in the club’s best interests and revealed assistant Kristian Woolf will take over the team for the rest of their season.

Brown announced last week he would leave at the end of the season amid reports the club was canvassing a replacement.

However his exit has been brought forward following the 46-4 loss to Wests Tigers on Saturday which all but ended their finals hopes with two rounds remaining.