Looking forward to 2020, the new year brings with it some new and exciting changes for the nib Newcastle Knights, none more enticing than the introduction of new Head Coach Adam O’Brien.
O’Brien brings with him a wealth of experience accrued at some of the games’ most successful clubs, having spent nearly a decade as an assistant to Craig Bellamy at the Melbourne Storm.
More recently, he has extended his tutelage at the Sydney Roosters as an attacking coach under Trent Robinson.
Watch: Top 5 tries from season 2019
One of the stars of that attacking structure is Roosters fullback James Tedesco, who has credited the sides success to the incoming Knights coach.
"I knew nothing of him. I knew he was down at Melbourne and how much success they had down there," Tedesco said.
"But him and (assistant Matt King) are doing the attack at the moment and they've just been great to bounce ideas off."
The Roosters boast the second-best attack in the competition, with Tedesco himself on track to potentially claim the Dally M Medal as a result of his own performances throughout the season.
The New South Wales No.1 believes his impressive form can also be traced back to O’Brien.
"Adam's really allowing us to play the footy we want to play, not bunkering down on set plays, how we've got to do this, got to do that. That's a really good asset.
"Me and (five-eighth Luke) Keary are like that, we can play off feel, off the cuff.
"It's important to have some structure, but Adam's really flexible on what's best for us and I think we've really enjoyed that."
Tedesco conceded the Knights would be gaining a great coach in O’Brien, insisting he would be a big loss for the Roosters when he departs for Newcastle after the finals series.
Watch: Knights 2019 awards night live stream
“What he's added to us this year, we've scored a lot more points than last year and our attack's been feeling really good.
"We'll definitely miss him."
