The Newcastle Knights have officially earned the wooden spoon for 2025 after suffering a tough defeat against the Parramatta Eels, ending with a score of 66-10.
In a sad ending to a tough season, the Knights’ coach Adam O’Brien held a final press conference that showed his strong feelings.
“I can’t make this sound pretty,” he said after the game. “The people in our town won’t accept nonsense. ” Even though he tried to stay hopeful about the team’s future, he couldn’t hide his anger after yet another bad loss.
“With time, the hurt and disappointment will get better for these players, and good things will come, but I can’t lie, I’m really let down right now,” he said. “Our town deserves more than what they had to watch. ”
“I need to be straightforward. What happened tonight is not acceptable. ”
Knights’ captain Dane Gagai said the loss “hurts” and shows how rough the season has been for the club.
“I’m let down,” Gagai expressed.
“That has been our season. ”
“We didn’t show up from the beginning… It’s just really disappointing. ”
Then, O’Brien was asked what kind of coach he thinks would be best for the Knights in 2026, and he answered truthfully.
“Ultimately, it’s up to the club, but I know there are going to be changes in several areas, like our medical team and high performance,” O’Brien explained.
“This could be a chance for new ideas and a fresh start, but we don’t want too much change because some good things are happening with our young players’ development.
“We don’t want to lose that progress. ”
Although he cares about the team’s future, he admitted that the Knights’ plans are no longer his concern.
“I don’t want to mention specific names because that’s not my role anymore,” O’Brien said. “It’s a decision for the club. ”
