<h2>O'Brien Steps Down: Knights Coach Exit Confirmed</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>- Newcastle Knights coach Adam O'Brien expected to part ways with the club as early as this week following a disappointing 2025 campaign.</p> <p>- Assistant coach Blake Green, managed by Isaac Moses, tipped to take over the coaching role in what's being described as a mutual agreement</p> <p>- The Knights sit 16th on the ladder with only six wins, battling Gold Coast for the wooden spoon with two matches remaining</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Newcastle Knights coach Adam O'Brien is set to step down from his position this week, ending a turbulent 2025 NRL season that has left the club fighting to avoid the wooden spoon.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>O'Brien's Knights Tenure Comes to an End</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The 47-year-old coach has been at the helm of the Newcastle Knights since 2020, delivering finals appearances in four of his first five seasons. However, the 2025 campaign has proven disastrous for both O'Brien and the Knights, with the club managing just six wins and sitting 16th on the NRL ladder.</p> <p>Reports suggest O'Brien and the Knights have reached a mutual agreement for his departure, with the decision expected to be ratified at a full board meeting on Thursday.&nbsp;</p> <p>The coach's payout is estimated to be between $300,000 and $500,000, despite having two years remaining on his contract.</p> <p>"It's a mutual agreement, he's cooked Adam O'Brien, that's what he's telling the club," Dean Ritchie reported on NRL 360 on Tuesday night.&nbsp;</p> <p>The decision comes after a football committee meeting that included several board members and was reportedly attended by player agent Isaac Moses.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Blake Green Emerges as Replacement for Soon to be Vacant Knight Coaching Role</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Current assistant coach Blake Green appears to be the frontrunner to replace O'Brien, with the former NRL five-eighth already working closely with the playing group.&nbsp;</p> <p>Green's potential appointment has raised questions, particularly given his connection to Isaac Moses, who was reportedly involved in the negotiations surrounding O'Brien's departure.</p> <p>"Isaac Moses was at the meeting, his manager, and the replacement coach is to be confirmed," Ritchie explained. "It will be a process but it seems quite clear that Blake Green will be the man, another Isaac Moses client."</p> <p>The involvement of Moses in both O'Brien's exit and Green's potential appointment has sparked concerns among rugby league commentators.&nbsp;</p> <p>Steve Crawley highlighted these issues on NRL 360, noting: "Isaac Moses has gone in there with one client today and we will emerge with another client taking over the job."</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Newcastle Season of Struggles Laid Bare With O’Brien Exit</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The Knights' 2025 campaign reached a new low following their 46-12 thrashing by the Brisbane Broncos at home on Sunday. The heavy defeat left Newcastle just two points ahead of the Gold Coast Titans, with both clubs locked in a battle to avoid finishing last on the NRL ladder.</p> <p>Despite the poor results, club chairman Geoff Coburn had recently defended O'Brien's position, citing the team's injury toll as a contributing factor to their struggles. "This year he has just had a horrific run of injuries," Coburn told The Daily Telegraph.</p> <p>With two rounds remaining in the regular season, the Knights face the challenge of avoiding the wooden spoon while simultaneously preparing for a coaching transition that could reshape the club's direction heading into 2025.</p>