Toohey's News: What more does Ron Griffiths have to do?

But the biggest clanger of the night in our book belonged to whoever decided that Knights women's coach Ron Griffiths didn't deserve to win the NRLW Coach of the Year.

The unassuming Griffiths would never make a fuss. But his snubbing, in favour of Titans coach and former NRL Integrity Unit boss Karyn Murphy, is hard to fathom. Murphy has no doubt done a great job to lead the Titans to the grand final but what more does Griffiths have to do to be recognised?

He missed out last year despite the Knights going from wooden spooners to premiers in the space of a season after he took the reins. To be denied again with his team winning the minor premiership after just one defeat despite losing some big-name players just doesn't add up.

Like we said, what more could he have possibly done?

Still on Ron Griffiths and while the club has understandably kept a lid on his coaching future, take it as read tomorrow's NRLW grand final against the Titans will be his swansong with the women's program.

Griffiths will take over as coach of the Knights' NSW Cup squad in 2024 with a new women's coach set to be appointed. Griffiths will replace this year's Cup coach Michael Monaghan, who has taken up an NRL assistant's job under Des Hasler at the Titans.

Knights NRL coach Adam O'Brien will sit down with CEO Phil Gardner after a three-week holiday with wife Sharyn in the US to discuss extending his coaching career at the club.

"I'm contracted next year so I'm not in any big rush to get it sorted," O'Brien told us.

Asked about the speculation he was a dead man walking mid-season with his side sitting 14th after round 17, O'Brien said he never fronted management about the rumours.

"I didn't approach anyone because that would have been me reacting to it," he said. "I wasn't bitter about it. We made the finals in my first season here and the club extended me so you can't have it both ways. I was extended after one good year so coming off the back of a bad year in 2022 and then we're sitting 14th, you expect the scutiny. I just put my head down and worked harder. Thankfully, the results came."

The Knights will have just one spot left to fill in the senior roster for next season after they confirm the signing of Penrith winger Tom Jenkins, who is in the Panthers' extended grand final squad. The final roster position will also go to another outside back.

Jenkins will be vying with the experienced Enari Tuala and the likes of new English recruit Will Pryce, Laitia Moceidreke and youngster Fletcher Myers for Dom Young's right wing spot.

Knights coach Adam O'Brien has revealed senior player Kurt Mann was someone he confided in during his mother Maree's battle with a brain tumour earlier this year because Mann had been through a similar heartbreaking experience with his own mother.

In an interview for the final edition of the Toohey's News podcast, O'Brien admitted his close relationship with Mann made the decision not to re-sign him even more difficult.

"I've been attached to Kurt since he was at Melbourne," O'Brien said. "I won't ever under-value what Kurt has done for me the whole time I have been here. I coached him before and I knew coming here what I was going to get and he's been so dependable. .

"I spoke to him about Mum because he'd been through it with his own mum. I would have loved to have kept him here and he knows that.

"But at the end of the day, it's a balancing act. If we keep Kurt, it might cost us Phoenix [Crossland] or Bradman [Best]. They are the tough decisions we're forced to make."

We're hearing as many as five local Newcastle clubs have been in talks with former Knights and Dragons centre Peter Mata'utia for next season following news Warrington will not be extending his current deal in the English Super League.

The Samoan international has spent the past six seasons in England playing with Leigh, Castleford and Wolves after a 76-game NRL career.

But while Mata'utia will return to Newcastle at some point, it may not be next season with reports suggesting he has been targeted by demoted Super League club Wakefield. Wakefield's new coach Daryl Powell has previously coached Mata'utia.

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