‘My only secret’: Knights coach tight-lipped after Joey floats rumour
Newcastle coach Justin Holbrook grinned, fidgeted and kept his grand final cards close to his chest, keeping a “secret” when quizzed on a selection rumour floated by Knights icon Andrew Johns.
Uncapped 19-year-old hooker Diesel Hagan is listed on the Knights’ extended bench for the grand final against the Roosters at Accor Stadium on Sunday night.
Knights coach Justin Holbrook speaking to media on grand final eve. Nine
But according to Johns, the highly touted rookie just might be catapulted into a starting role.
At this stage, Harrison Graham is listed to start at hooker as the replacement for Phoenix Crossland, who copped a four-game ban for a hip-drop tackle on Nathan Cleary in Newcastle’s preliminary final win over Penrith.
In his grand final eve press conference, Holbrook went as far as saying Hagan would join the six-man bench, but was tight-lipped on his plan for the starting hooker role.
“That’s probably my only secret,” Holbrook grinned.
“I’ve got to keep something quiet; I share everything else.”
Hagan, a product of the Denman Devils in the Upper Hunter, co-captained the NSW under-19 team this season and was named the Blues’ player of the year.
He is currently on a development deal with the Knights but will join the club’s top-30 roster in 2028.
“He is a great young player,” Holbrook said.
“Like a lot of the young guys now, he’s really confident and keen and ready to go.
“Will we use him? I’m not too sure,” the coach added, smirking.
The Knights have defied the bookies in all three of their finals games, knocking out the Rabbitohs, stunning the Warriors at Eden Park, and eliminating the powerhouse Panthers.
Many people are saying Newcastle played its grand final against Penrith and, inevitably, are writing off a fairy tale grand final win.
Holbrook’s response?
“Well, the response would be it was a prelim. It wasn’t a grand final. We know that,” he said.
“Someone said it after the [game against the] Warriors. [They said that] was our grand final. We knew it wasn’t.
“We know the grand final’s tomorrow. We’re not silly.
“But anyway, that’s fine. I can understand it; we’ve got on a roll and we’ve got up for so many weeks, if you want to look at it that way.
“But that’s irrelevant for us. We are so happy and excited to come to training and play, and we get another chance to do that [on Sunday]. We understand tomorrow’s a grand final and we’ve always known that.”
