The king of NRL contract clauses – the one and only Isaac Moses – has struck again.
This time it’s the Newcastle Knights who’ve been bowled middle stump by being talked into inserting a top 12 clause.
Yep, you read that right, Adam O’Brien needs the Knights to finish in the top 12 clubs this season to trigger a contract extension for 2027.
The Knights coach is already locked in for 2025 and 2026 but for his contract to be live in 2027 he needs to finish in the top 12 this year.
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Which makes the Knights’ next three games against South Sydney, Gold Coast and the Dolphins take on a whole different complexion.
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Back in February the Knights announced O’Brien had inked a three-year contract extension until the end of 2027.
It was a phenomenal turnaround for a coach who had been on the chopping block prior to the Knights going on an 10-match winning roll before exiting in week two of last year’s finals series.
But as if often the case when Isaac is negotiating a deal – there’s an asterisk.
Leading into the midway point of last season the Knights were still actively interviewing or seeking to interview the likes of Michael Maguire, Des Hasler and Justin Holbrook.
Then Kalyn Ponga, the Saifiti twins, Tyson Frizell and Jackson Hastings caught fire, Newcastle went on a run and the club powerbrokers started to panic about moving on O’Brien.
The Knights coach was already signed for this season anyway but had Newcastle failed to click and make the finals in all likelihood O’Brien was gone.
Off the back of riding the wave into the finals O’Brien’s agent Moses then approached Knights CEO Phillip Gardener about a contract extension.
To be fair to Moses and Gardener both parties have attempted to negotiate the best possible deal.
Moses for O’Brien and Gardener for the Knights.
Most clubs who include performance clauses in coaches contracts might include a top eight clause or bonus, a top four clause or bonus or a premiership clause or bonus.
For the record we’ve never encountered a top 12 clause previously.
We’re tipping it probably started out as a top eight clause but given the way Moses can negotiate and wear CEO’s and clubs down it’s landed on top 12.
There’s no question the Knights have under-achieved this year off the back of a hugely successful 2023.
Last year the highest paid player in the NRL Kalyn Ponga was on fire on his way to collecting the Dally M Medal.
This year it’s been a mixed bag where the Knights have won more games without their $1.5 million man KP than when he does play.
Newcastle has won four of 12 games with KP and five of nine without him. Ponga’s also only scored one try this season.
What’s also caused the unrest at Newcastle is the arrival of one of the best and most experienced recruitment managers in the game in Peter O’Sullivan.
The man who’s previously helped build rosters at the Melbourne Storm, Sydney Roosters and more recently the Dolphins has immediately set about trying to tidy up a roster that’s bent out of shape.
That creates angst among the playing group once players begin the process of getting tapped on the shoulder.
In an interesting side light O’Sullivan’s deal to join the Knights from the Dolphins was also negotiated by Isaac Moses.
We’re tipping O’Sullivan can help fix the Knights roster sooner rather than later but there might still be a lot more choppy waters for Newcastle to navigate.
