THE Newcastle Knights are looking for a new pathways manager to oversee their junior-development system after the surprise departure of highly respected Garth Brennan.
Brennan, a born-and-bred Novocastrian who was head coach of Gold Coast Titans in 2018 and 2019, accepted the job with the Knights in September.
Neither he not Newcastle officials were available for comment on Friday, but the club confirmed the 50-year-old had decided to resign.
When Brennan was appointed, Knights CEO Phil Gardner sung his praises after a long and successful coaching career in the lower grades with Newcastle and Penrith.
He was the first coach to steer Newcastle's under-20s into the play-offs, in 2011, and then won premierships with Penrith's under-20s and NSW Cup outfits. That earned him his first job as a head coach, but like so many before him, things did not work out at the Titans.
At the time of Brennan's appointment, Gardner said: "His record speaks for itself and we are really excited to have someone with Garth's experience and passion to come in and head up our pathways programs ...
"What he did at Penrith with their junior system in helping to develop and bring through so many of their young players who are now playing at the top level speaks volumes.
"He's also a local boy who has played from the juniors right through into the senior grades in Newcastle so he knows the local rugby league landscape as well as anyone does."
