Nice guys finish… first? Holbrook’s success after Titans sacking exposes big NRL shift — Crawls

Fox Sports columnist Paul Crawley argues that Justin Holbrook's success in taking the Newcastle Knights to an NRL Grand Final highlights an ongoing cultural shift away from aggressive coaching styles. Crawley compares Holbrook's composed, positive leadership to the reported difficulties experienced under Michael Maguire at the Brisbane Broncos, suggesting modern players respond better to calm and supportive managers.

Crawley highlights how the Gold Coast Titans previously sacked Holbrook to hire Des Hasler for a harder edge, a move Hasler survived for just two seasons. He notes that successful mentors such as Ivan Cleary, Trent Robinson, and Andrew Webster demonstrate that intimidating methods are increasingly outdated compared to building strong relationships and genuine care.