'Absolutely no idea': Andrew Johns weighs in as 'huge job' awaits next Newcastle Knights coach

Andrew Johns concedes he has "absolutely no idea" who should take over as Knights coach next season as they prepare to part ways with Adam O'Brien.

After six seasons at the helm, O'Brien looks set to finish up at the end of 2026 and will open the door for a new voice to lead the battling club.

A host of candidates have already been tossed around, with assistant Blake Green and former Titans boss Justin Holbrook the early front-runners.

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But when asked for his opinion, Newcastle's greatest player didn't have the answer and said he believed it would be a "huge job" for whoever did replace O'Brien.

"I have no idea," Johns said on Nine's Freddy and The Eighth.

"I have absolutely no idea what the club needs as a coach.

"Whether it's Blake, a young guy with fresh ideas, or whether it's Brad Arthur, who has been there before with a hard edge.

"This isn't gonna be two or three years, this is a long-term thing.

"It's a huge job. Josh Hannay has got the Titans and I reckon that would be kindergarten stuff compared to the job you need at the Knights."

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Asked if he would want to be involved in any capacity, Johns shut it down immediately.

"No, no, no," he said.

"I live in Sydney now. I haven't lived there now in Newcastle for 18 or 19 years, and I've moved on. I'm not on the ground, you've got to be there every day."

Johns also urged whoever did land the coaching gig to figure out what the first-choice spine would be moving forward with Kalyn Ponga, Dylan Brown and Fletcher Sharpe all signed.

Johns has been extremely vocal in regards to other areas at the Knights that need some attention, but believes those in charge can turn things around.

"The problem is not with the coaching," he said.

"The problem is, which I have been quite vocal about, the junior system and pathways. They can't attract marquee players up there, so they have to build from within.

"I actually met with Chris [James] and Peter Parr about a month ago. They went through the junior system and what they're implementing there.

"It all looks really good, but you can have the best boat in the world - you've got to have the best captain steering the ship." 

O'Brien will finish his six-year tenure in the Hunter having made the finals on four occasions, but only winning one game in the post-season.

The 47-year-old took over from Nathan Brown and took the Knights to a top-eight finish in his first year, but has failed to deliver consistent results or compete for premierships.

Newcastle take on Cronulla this weekend before finishing their dour 2025 campaign against the Parramatta Eels.