Nathan Brown will have input into who his coaching replacement will be next season with CEO Phil Gardner revealing the soon-to-be ex-Newcastle Knights coach is drawing up a short-list of contenders for the job.
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In a further sign of the amicable way in which Brown and the club will part company at the end of this season, Gardner said Brown's dossier on the strengths and weaknesses of potential new coaches will be used as a "strong guide" in the selection process.
Sydney Roosters assistant coach Adam O'Brien is the overwhelming favourite for the job alongside Melbourne Storm assistant Jason Ryles.
Former Knights backrower and current Penrith assistant Cameron Ciraldo could also be interviewed.
Gardner said the club could potentially meet with as many as five candidates and is looking to have a decision made on Brown's replacement by the middle of next month.
"I'd like to be able to make an announcement at our presentation night on September 18,"Gardner told the Newcastle Herald.
"That gives us a little less than a month to have it finalised and that's the beauty of what Nathan has done and the unselfish way in which he has given us some added time to have it all sorted.
"I would think we will look to narrow it down to between three to five potential coaches and Nathan is helping with that process. He's put a list together of who he believes would be good for the club along with their strengths and weaknesses.
"He's agreed to do that. It's the sort of person he is."
There is plenty of speculation suggesting O'Brien is already virtually over the line.
He is currently Trent Robinson's assistant and in charge of the attack at the Roosters and is in the first year of a three year deal with defending premiers.
Prior to that, he was in the Melbourne Storm system for 13 years, the last three as Craig Bellamy's right-hand man.
O'Brien has a get-out clause in his Roosters contract giving him the opportunity to move on immediately if he was to land an NRL head coaching job with rumours he and his manager Issac Moses met with Knights list manager Troy Pezet last week, prior to Brown and the club announcing his departure.
Pezet is refusing to comment on the speculation but even suggestions that a meeting has taken place has already caused plenty of angst at the Roosters.
But before any potential deal is done at the Knights, O'Brien and any other contenders will have to sit down with Gardner and the selection committee with those meetings yet to take place.
Gardner said any new coach of the Knights will first have to pass a "character test".
"I know there is some noise out there around that [meetings with potential coaching candidates] but if they haven't spoken to me, they haven't spoken to the club," Gardner said on Tuesday.
"We'll certainly have a very exhaustive process going forward. There are some great people out there but we intend to start with character.
"We've had a coach with a fantastic character. Anyone who doesn't pass the character test will not be coming to Newcastle.
"There is a big onus on us now to make the right decision on how we go forward. We want to win a comp for the town. We are very focused on that. That's our end goal."
While he didn't totally rule it out, Gardner indicated the club is far more likely to appoint a rookie coach rather than a re-cycled NRL coach.
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It's understood the club's player leadership group is also pushing for a rookie to get the job.
"That is the way we are looking at it at the moment," Gardner said. "But at this stage, nothing has been ruled out."
Brown said he would have no problems sitting down with a newly appointed coach to pass on any advice if he was approached.
"If the new coach wanted to ask me anything about the club, I'd happily tell him," Brown said.
"At the end of the day, if the Knights are winning a grandfinal in a year or two, there'll be no happier person than me."