Welcome Adam O'Brien

They didnt have any halves.

I like him, very sincere and seems to be a nice person.
Sorry @bob dylan but they had a shipping container load of halves.

Problem was they only needed two good ones.

Their halves were terrible except for the fletcher mullet guy who was the injured fletcher mullet guy not the ordinary outside back fletcher mullet guy….
 
Wouldn’t be surprised if this guy shadow coaches us for some of 2026. He had some absolutely dreadful halves combos for his stint at Newcastle, and they never improved. I’d put that down to Newcastle having shocking management, more than AOB’s own shortcomings.

Fogarty/Brooks is a decent pairing, but they look like immortals compared to any of AOB’s prior halves. I’ll be interested to see what he can add to our attack. Maybe not just the same sweep plays, or “give it to Koula”, being our only options.

AOB was touted as one of the best assistant coaches out there, whilst he was at the Storm. He’s back to that role here. That is some quality support, that the club has found for Seibold.

Between this, and a (surprisingly) quick forwards cleanout, the club is giving Seibold every chance for next year. I’m happy for this arrangement.

If we’re all wrong about his shortcomings (somehow), and he makes the finals, we are the beneficiaries. If he misses the finals, he has no one left to blame, and we know he’s the main problem. Leaves the club in a spot of immunity, as opposed to the concoction of collated disasters this year, that left blame lying everywhere.
 
I’m not an AOB fan. He lost me early on with the ‘Don’t you know who I am!’ incident and his press conferences since have he come across as lacking intelligence. However, he never seemed to ‘lose the dressing room’ at the Knights so seems to develop good relationships with his players. The excuse that he had no halves at Newcastle doesn’t fly with me though. Isn’t it the job of a coach to develop and improve players? Did any of those halves improve under him. To me he was the one cycling through play makers regularly. Is that the sort of coach we want developing our young halves in the coming years?

It’s a no from me.
 
A O B will bring some useful experience and apart from being previously connected as an assistant , was it with The Storm and with some of the net benefits that should have offered for him .
Maybe would have preferred Holbrook but of course ironically going to the Knights now
Wasn 't that wrapped in Ennis , not that i was that aware of his actual influence in the overall Manly coaching .
Hayles , maybe more in the run of the mill type assistants , maybe a bit better , so A O B again , as good as any candidate out there for an assistant gig based on his background
 
I heard Wayne Bennet speak at a function. He said he left the knights because the club was a mess and he couldn't change the culture or mentality of the players. I don't think much has changed since then.

If Wayne couldn't do it, how is anyone else supposed to?
 
It was surprising that he lasted so long as Newcastle coach.

But in saying that, his CV has to be pretty good for an assistant coach - an assistant under Bellamy and Robinson, along with 5 yrs as an NRL head coach.
 

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