Nathan Brown is the new sheriff of the self-governed badlands of Newcastle. He’s here to overhaul the place, and you better believe he’s going to do it his way – as long as it’s the Newcastle way.
Yesiree, even with Danny Buderus on staff, Chief Harragon in prominence and the Andrew Johns Stand watching over his every move, Brown’s been granted the pressure-free environment required to give the Knights the fresh start they need.
The partnership of Newcastle and Brown may sound like an unassuming 1920s proprietorship specialising in ale and plumbing, but in reality, it is a rugby league story promising chin-stroking intrigue of the highest order in 2016.
Can the new bloke renovate the famous club while maintaining its legion of heritage features?
This new union is a pairing of two ambitious and uncompromising rugby league entities, and like trying to safely pin-prick a balloon in a dark room full of silicone implants, their relationship may initially endure a careful feeling-out period.
One is back in Australia to prove his authoritarian worth after being too chummy with his players at the Dragons, while the other has recently developed a chronic reliance on local know-how, mainly due to financial constraints and because Wayne Bennett left a mess.
As we all know, Newcastle footy is one of the game’s specialised eggs.
The place is fiercely regional, staunchly territorial, and perma-proud of all their sons who have pulled on the jersey even if they are marred by regular handling errors or trafficking charges.
Sure, any map will tell you the Newcastle region is geographically inside New South Wales jurisdiction, but in their part of the world, they do things under Novocastrian laws.
This was no more apparent than in the wheezing post-Bennett years where the club reverted to typical Newcastle-centric practice with Newcastle ideals and Newcastle people in an attempt to re-Newcastle and de-Bennefy Newcastle.
This caused the organisation to be adorned with a litany of Stones and Gidleys, with players living any further from 25 kilometres outside the city centre required to front to training with a visa.
Such was the directive, one particular match saw the selection committee push for a bench made up of Kade Snowden and The Screaming Jets.
But when the club became another failed Tinkler investment, it was clear things had become a little too Newcastle. It all culminated in a well-earned spoon last year.
However, minus the real possibility of the usual spoonage of a rebuild era, one feels this is all about to change under the Brown regime.
He’s under no illusions that overhauling the place will be like trying to remove cocktails from the menu at Kokomo. But considering his new environment, he has a surprisingly fresh canvas.
With only one man over 30 on the playing list, Brown’s squad is a good mix of youth and experience without the part about experience.
On a personal level, the man himself has more unfinished business than Charles Bronson. There’s a burning after overseeing a squad at St George Illawarra that was blinding for its star power but ultimately empty-handed.
He’s here to prove to Australia he’s not just a guy who slapped Trent Barrett and failed to win a pushbike race with a Yamaha.
Many Dragons people blamed Brown’s epic failure on his quick transition from Red V player to Red V coach. They say the reason his team couldn’t win preliminary finals was because he interacted with his men like equals.
Even though it’s a rock solid theory from the punters, he’s ready to finally punch holes through it.
After completing various apprenticeships where he learnt the Hitler-like traits required of an NRL coach, Brown believes he’s grown into the hostile, socially-distant taskmaster he’s always dreamed of, a graduation he emphatically affirmed with Joseph Tapine.
The new regime begins at the Gold Coast on Sunday night where five debutantes will be trotted out against the Titans. Despite it’s high concentration of Gen-Y, even I’m excited to witness this new dawn.
While nobody is expecting instant miracles from this new odd couple, at least the youth policy is a sure sign they’re both in this marriage for the long haul.
Julian King
Roar Guru
Brown is a smart guy. He spent last year in the Storm setup and his success with St. Helens will bode well for this season. I've never bought the whole "need to live and breathe Newcastle" nonsense. Rick Stone's post-Benny appointment was meant to prove that theory true. Alas it did not. Reilly succeeded. I thought Bennett handled the Alex McKinnon misfortune as well as any coach could have. That will be his Newcastle legacy. Their success is contingent upon Mullen's fitness. Bear in mind, Trent Barrett got penalised for playing on against the Tigers in 2005. Under today's rules, they simply would have called him back to play the ball. Saints had all the momentum. If only.... Brownie may well have ended up looking every bit the first grade coach. I wish him every success.
matth
Guest
Unlocking Jamie Soward was the gift Bennett gave the Dragons
matth
Guest
To be fair, Bennett got them within a game of the grand final. No one else has managed that post Joey
The eye
Guest
Knights can thank their lucky stars that it's round 1 Titans and not round 23 Broncos or Storm...because this is not a competitive side..alarm bells must be going off everywhere if he can't find Mamo a place in front of Feeney or the Mata utais...no threat in the pack and no constant danger out wide....even more worrying discards from other clubs would rather go to the Titans...awful feeling about this..
Richard Maybury
Guest
Newcastle and Brown makes an extremely good beer.
Dogs Of War
Roar Guru
How did Warren Ryan do badly at Newcastle? He setup that team so when Hagan took over it was ready to go. Made the finals every year with the Knights.
Glen
Roar Rookie
When Wayne Bennett was brought up here to this wonderful island most of us expected a quick turn around of the club and a premiership the first year which was obviously not going to happen. We expected Wayne to bring out the best in our youngsters along with a few astute buys that would assist the club. Unfortunately Wayne "Im just here for the paycheck" Bennett brought in an aging roster and let a few of our good young ones go. Now im not stupid, it definitely was NOT Wayne Bennetts fault for the poor Newcastle outfit that was left by him, but he certainly didnt help nor leave it in a better place. The problem with Newcastle, as the main article pretty much states, is its culture. For about 8 years we had it great with Joey running the team. Have a look at the team around the 2000's and it could pretty much beat any team now, but since Joey has gone we have expected another Joey to come in and carry the club on its back which will not occur. All that Newcastle wants is a team that is putting in and trying, look at the year that we won our first wooden spoon, it was one of our highest years for game attending due to the fact we knew they were trying. But for the last couple of years we see the players not playing for the club or the locals or their teammates, they are playing for a paycheck.
East Bound & Down
Guest
Top 8 this year .
Ken
Guest
I think the media narrative on Brown is a bit of a myth. In his first season at the Dragons he was undoubtedly the coach that is usually described, he had played with half the players on the team and struggled with his authority (leading to the ill-advised slap). But he led the Dragons for 4 more seasons, making the finals in every year, including 2 prelims. He was a high quality and professional coach for the majority of that time, and has had success since in the UK, defining him based on the mistakes of his rookie year seems unfair. On a related note, the accompanying narrative of the mid-2000's Dragons being a ridiculously amazing team which should have won every other year (except for the dodgy coach) is an equal myth. It was a good roster and well balanced, but Barrett was the only Top 10 player in there. Bailey & Gasnier would have both been contenders for best in position at different times (but hardly shoe-ins - Bailey and Barrett were both gone halfway through Brown's reign anyway). They had a different halfback every year until Hornby moved from fullback after Barrett left. Bennett didn't just come in and win the comp, he also brought Boyd, Jeremy Smith and others to the club.
Jay
Guest
They can't go worse than last year I suppose..
Dane Eldridge
Expert
One for the resume
DingoGray
Roar Guru
I think Benny did some of his best work at the Knights..... He managed to help Bankrupt the Tink!
Dane Eldridge
Expert
In the interests of equity and keeping you on side- because you never mess with a numbers man- I'll say it's a little from Column A and a little from Column B.
Tim Gore
Expert
Point of order Mr Eldridge: You have blamed Saint Wayne, Uncle Wayne, of leaving the Knights in a mess. Are you intimating that it was the great man's fault or just saying that he left when it was in a mess. If it is the former, well Sir, you and I have an issue.
Tom Rock
Expert
Brown is in a tough spot. He is blooding a huge amount of players this year through both the forwards and in the backline. No doubt the team will benefit in a couple of years once these men have 50 games under their belt. The trouble I see is in the halves. Newcastle currently has a very strong halves tandem that will take them nowhere. There is not enough talent to maximise their impact. But by the times the young blokes are experienced enough to fire, Trent and Jarrod will be out the door. Then you have to go through the process of starting inexperienced players in key positions, which could take another 2 seasons. I think the rebuilt will outlast Brown. Newcastle will be patient, but the town will not tolerate the taste of defeat indefinitely.
Dane Eldridge
Expert
"Newcastle and Tasmania are both islands." Out-bloody-standing, Max!
MAX
Guest
As Gai would say, "A brilliant piece of work". Dane, you are Golden Slipper material. You covered everything in a style reminiscent of the great Johnny Raper. Newcastle and Tasmania are both islands. You must have at least 100 years residency before being accepted as a local. This will be Nathan's biggest challenge. That and the cursed TPA power of the richer clubs. I accredit my longevity to the sound foundation of many schooners of Toohey's Old at the George Hotel. Wanted : another Churchill and Sattler who will stay and play at home.
PGNEWC
Guest
The reason why Coaches like Bennett and Warren Ryan did badly coaching in Newcastle was because they didn't understand the local clique politics that feared/mistrusted/hated outsiders not just Non Novacastrians but those not part of the closed group linked to the knights from its earliest days in 1988 -- Similar to what Parramtta used to have.-- Smithy understood it but from his comments he was powerless to do anything and always felt an outsider at the club while he was there. Stone was part of it but in the end wasn't very good. Only Reily who was somehow remained above it all and Hagan (who had Joey at his peak) -- an insider had any success. I hope Brownie does have success is hard and selects players on merit for each game and doesn't fall prey to the culture. Only time will tell