The race to replace Adam O'Brien as the Newcastle Knights head coach is heating up, with club legend Matty Johns floating the name of an unexpected candidate.
While most of the attention has centred on frontrunners Blake Green, Willie Peters, and Justin Holbrook, Johns believes there's another candidate worth considering - Sydney Roosters NRLW coach John Strange.
"A bloke that never ever gets spoken about... John Strange has coached the Roosters’ NRLW ," he said on SEN 1170's The Run Home.
"I’ve said to people before that if I was at a club, when I’m looking to have some sort of coach, whether it’s a right-hand man to someone, mate, I honestly hear that many good things about him.
"Tactically, he is very good, and regardless of whether it's NRLW or NRL, it’s coaching. The principles are all the same."
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Strange has built an impressive reputation in the women's game, winning multiple premierships with the Roosters and guiding the Blues to their 2025 State of Origin series win.
His name rarely surfaces in NRL head coaching conversations, but Johns' endorsement adds another layer to the Knights' deliberation.
The comments come just days after Andrew Johns admitted he had "no idea" who should take the reins in Newcastle, but stressed that the next coach must help the club rediscover its DNA.
Matty's left-field suggestion reflects the same philosophy, with Strange widely respected for his ability to build culture and get the best out of his playing group.
Whether the Knights are willing to take such a bold step remains to be seen, but the added prospect of potentially enticing his in-form son Ethan - who is playing out of his skin for the Raiders - could be another tick in Strange's favour.
Strange is contracted to the Roosters until the end of 2027, however, it's unclear whether the club would be willing to make a concession if an NRL opportunity came up.