David Waite
Waite a former International winger and the clubs development officer and reserve grade coach, was made caretaker coach for the remainder of the 1991 season when the knights finished 13th and took over his "own" side for the season 1992.  The Knights were revitalised and besides qualifying for the play offs for the first time, shared the 1992 club Championship title with Brisbane, with the reserve grade also making the end of season play offs. 

Mal Reilly
In 1995 Reilly accepted the coaching job with the Newcastle Knights.  Surviving the ARL - Super League battle, Reilly took his Knights to a premiership in 1997 and came through a drug scandal in mid 1998. 

Warren Ryan
In 1999 Warren joined the Knights after a five year break from coaching which saw him continue his involvement with the club through the media.  Warren's decision to announce his intentions at this early stage of the season will provide the Knights with ample opportunity to secure a new mentor for 2001. Newcastle Knights coach Warren Ryan is likely to retire at the end of the season as the longest-serving coach in the history of Australian rugby league. 

Michael Hagan
Michael Hagan takes over as only the fifth coach in the club's history. Hagan was a fine player playing in three grand finals at Canterbury in three different positions before joining Newcastle in 1989.   Hagan who played in five origins in 1989-90 coached in lower grades at Hunter Mariners and Canberra before linking with Ryan at the start of this season.  Hagan skippered the Knights from 1990 to 1993, will become the first coach to emerge from the club's playing ranks to take over the coaching role. 

Brian Smith
PARRAMATTA coach Brian Smith has cited the opportunity to work with Andrew Johns as one of the driving forces behind his decision to accept a three-year offer to coach NRL rival Newcastle from next season. he veteran coach, the third-most experienced in NRL history behind Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens and Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett with 448 games, spoke with enthusiasm about the prospect of teaming with Johns next season - at the same time dismissing claims the two of them did not get along.  "The idea of being at the Knights with possibly the world's best player, maybe the best player of all time, as a captain and halfback, there ain't a coach alive who doesn't want to be behind the desk at that club," Smith said today. "(To be) the coach of the Newcastle Knights is a dream for any coach, I'd think.