In a sign that he expects NRL games to proceed this year regardless of who might be out because of the virus, O'Brien has taken a back seat this week and let his assistant coaches familiarise themselves with other roles.

"The one thing I've learnt in my time since being here in two seasons is I need to be prepared for anything and everything," O'Brien said.

"Part of preparing the team is also preparing the staff for turbulence and making sure we handle any situation

"There might be a stage that I am missing, so I think it is really important that you desensitize firstly the players but also the rest of the staff that the show goes on no matter what with COVID.

"You look at the NFL and college footy, we've seen it happen quite a bit, the European soccer."

But the coaching switch up isn't solely about contingency planning.

Having graduated from the Craig Bellamy school of coaching, O'Brien wants to offer his staff similar opportunities he was afforded as an assistant.

"I think it's important that we're developing players and coaches. I remember having some faith put in me to have a fair bit of responsibility and I think certainly people grow from that," he said.

"The coaching staff that we've got there, they've all coached their own teams at some level. I've got complete trust in them.

"I'm sure they've all got aspirations of one day being [head] coaches.

"Any way I can help them with that, I'm happy to do."

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Before taking on the Knights' top job, O'Brien spent a decade with the Melbourne Storm and a year at the Sydney Roosters.

He is one of multiple ex-Storm assistants now in charge of NRL sides and said the few times he took the reins from Bellamy were key to his development.

"I remember relishing in that opportunity," he said.

"As I progressed through my time at the Storm, I was included in recruitment, a bit of media, post-game stuff ... it prepares you.

"And we want to prepare all our people, whatever their profession is - whether they come to us as young players or physios."

O'Brien said Kostjasyn, 34, was "more than capable" of stepping into the role for the side's first trial at McDonald Jones Stadium on Monday.

"Rory and Eric Smith look after our defence and as the week goes on, a lot of the mindset shifts towards that," O'Brien said.

"Rory has coached NSW Cup here at Newcastle in the past, he has coached a lot of the guys that will be playing.

"But Eric has had his own teams ... and so has Willie Peters. I've got more than enough trust and faith in any of those guys stepping up and doing the job. I just think Rory is probably the right fit for now."

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Kostjasyn, who joined Newcastle as a player but was forced to retire in 2017 before making an appearance due to a throat injury, said he was "really grateful" for the opportunity at this stage of his coaching career.

"I haven't head-coached a team since Adam got to the club, I coached Harold Matthews and NSW Cup previously so it's a good opportunity to get back into that role," Kostjasyn, who played 128 NRL games with the Storm and Cowboys, said.

"I won't be thinking over it too much in terms of me being a head coach, I just want to focus on preparing as though this is a practice run for something that could happen in the season.

"It's a good opportunity to get a little feel for what that role is like, but again in saying that it is a trial match and the first of the year, so it's very different to a round game."

Kostjasyn will have full control on Monday with O'Brien planning to sit in the stands to watch both the NRL and reserve-grade trials.

He said being out of the coach's box would have the additional benefit of being able to take a more thorough look at the club's players.

"There's no doubt I'm still invested in our week. I've been in every meeting this week and I've presented to the playing group about what I want to see," O'Brien said.

"[I will be] having a real good look at our whole squad, not just our top 30.

"There will be some chances for some young guys in the lower grades to come in and impress, and it probably gives me a chance to sit back and have a more educated view of that game while it is happening rather than watching it back on video."

The Knights named a 33-man squad yesterday for the 7pm NRL trial, which is open to the public and being televised live on Fox League.

Adam Clune will start at halfback for the first time in Knights colours alongside Jake Clifford at five-eighth and as part of a new-look spine which includes Kalyn Ponga and Chris Randall.

With unlimited interchanges, the side's big-name players are expected to have limited game time.

KNIGHTS TRIAL SQUAD:

1 Kalyn Ponga, 2 Enari Tuala, 3 Dane Gagai, 4 Bradman Best, 5 Dom Young, 6 Jake Clifford, 7 Adam Clune, 8 David Klemmer, 9 Chris Randall, 10 Daniel Saifiti, 11 Tyson Frizell, 12 Jirah Momisea, 13 Kurt Mann, 14 Phoenix Crossland, 15 Jacob Saifiti, 16 Lachlan Fitzgibbon, 17 Hymel Hunt, 18 Dylan Lucas, 19 Matt Croker, 20 McKenzie Baker, 21 Bailey Hodgson, 22 Brayden Musgrove, 23 Dylan Phythian, 24 Chris Vea'ila, 25 Koby Rugless, 26 Jaron Purcell, 27 Liam Wilkinson, 28 Cooper Jenkins, 29 Tim Johannsson, 30 Ben Talty, 31 Honeti Tuha, 32 Tex Hoy, 33 Leo Thompson

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