This weekend presents one of the most intriguing storylines of the NRL season, as former Sydney Roosters attack coach Justin Holbrook returns to Sydney to plot an upset against his old side, leading a vastly improved Newcastle Knights outfit that has defied early-season expectations.
Many elite assistant coaches struggle to find their footing when they first step into a head coaching role, but Holbrook has wasted no time leaving his mark on the Knights. Just months into the job, he has transformed the club’s once-lowest-ranked attack into a dynamic, dangerous unit — a remarkable turnaround for a side that finished last in the 2023 competition, even with star players Kalyn Ponga and Dylan Brown sidelined through injury.
Holbrook first joined the Roosters after departing the Gold Coast Titans, spending two seasons as the club’s attack architect and turning the Sydney side into one of the most prolific attacking teams in the league. His work at the Roosters earned him high praise from the club’s playing group, a respect that remains unchanged even ahead of this weekend’s clash.
Roosters forward Angus Crichton, who has experienced Holbrook’s coaching first-hand, opened up about the impact the new Knights head coach has had across his career. “He’s a really good man manager,” Crichton explained. “He knows how to get the best out of his players, and it’s impressed me seeing him go to Newcastle and still thrive. A lot of great assistants struggle with the jump to head coaching, but he looks like he’s learnt so much from his first stint in the top job. I’m really happy for him — he’s such a great bloke. He really got our attack humming when he was here, so this weekend is going to be a really good test for us.”
The Roosters head into Sunday’s home clash against Newcastle on the back of a hard-fought 12-point win over Cronulla Sharks in Perth. The side looked shaky in the opening 20 minutes, failing to hold onto possession, but rallied strongly in the second half to pull away for victory. Crichton was quick to note that despite the win, his side is still far from hitting their peak form. “I think we’re still so far from our best and we’re nowhere near where we want to be yet,” he said. “We’ve got so much work to do, and we were back putting in the hard yards again this week. We’re not out here thinking we’re world beaters — we know we’ve still got a long way to go. We’re still working on our timing and our attacking shapes, we’re not always in the right spots at the right time. That’ll only come with more game time and continuity, so we just keep building our combinations and making sure every player does their job.”
The victory over the Sharks was marred by a controversial refereeing call that saw a clear try from Roosters winger Robert Toia ruled out by the NRL Bunker for an incorrect obstruction ruling. The call sparked widespread outrage across the league, with the NRL later admitting the decision was wrong. Toia missed Tuesday’s team training as he recovers from influenza, and Crichton said controversial refereeing calls are nothing new to rugby league. “How long have you been in rugby league for? You shouldn’t be surprised, this is what we do!” he laughed. “I’m not surprised. This stuff happens every year, there’s always new things that pop up. It’s just about how you adapt as a team, there’s no point sulking and crying about it. You just move forward, make sure you understand the interpretations, and get ready when things change. It’s good that the NRL admitted they got this one wrong, and hopefully we’ll see more common sense prevail in future decisions.”
Off the field, Crichton is adjusting to life as a new father after he and his partner welcomed their first child, son Sullivan, on Easter Sunday. Crichton said the club has been incredibly supportive as he navigates the early days of parenthood. “We went into hospital on Saturday night, and he arrived Sunday morning,” Crichton said. “The club was great. The boys were meant to train on Monday, but I called the coach and he let me have the day off. I came in on Tuesday, did the bare minimum — got some field work in, skipped the meetings, did a bit of gym and headed home to be with my family. I went back to hospital, the boys travelled to Perth on Wednesday, and I got to stay an extra night to make sure my partner and Sullivan were settled at home before I flew out on Thursday. It was such a special time, and the club couldn’t have been more understanding. It’s good to be back home now so I can help out.”