Newcastle Knights to gift Justin Holbrook major reward

The Newcastle Knights are preparing to hand head coach Justin Holbrook a two-year contract extension, tying him to the club until the end of the 2030 season. Holbrook initially signed a deal through 2028, but the club is moving quickly to reward him after guiding the team to the 2026 NRL Grand Final in his first year, where Newcastle narrowly lost by one point to the Sydney Roosters.

Holbrook's proposed extension matches the contract duration of star fullback Kalyn Ponga, who also committed to the club until 2030. Securing the coach provides stability ahead of contract talks with key players like Bradman Best and Jacob Saifiti, while also offsetting the recent departure of recruitment chief Peter O'Sullivan to the Brisbane Broncos.