The Newcastle Knights are reportedly set to appoint a former New Zealand Kiwis skipper to their recruitment team as they aim to keep its talented juniors rather than let them leave for rival teams.
After spending the last two seasons working with the New Zealand Warriors in their junior development program, Adam Blair is poised to leave the club and return to Australia, where he is set to join a new NRL team.
As reported by News Corp, Blair is set to join the Newcastle Knights as their new Elite Head of Pathways, where he will work alongside Head of Recruitment Peter O'Sullivan but is still in the middle of negotiations with the club.
If he is appointed to the new position, he will play a vital role in the development of the club's younger players from the Harold Matthews Cup to the NRL level.
Recently the Knights have lost the likes of Latrell Mitchell, Jacob Kiraz, Hudson Young, Joseph Tapine, Mitchell Barnett and 2024 SG Ball Cup captain Myles Martin to other teams.
It also comes after the departure of trio Adam Doyle (recruitment manager), Rory Kostjaysn (assistant coaches) and Ronald Griffiths (NSW Cup head coach).
Before beginning his coaching career and working behind the scenes, Blair played 331 NRL matches for the Melbourne Storm, Wests Tigers, Brisbane Broncos and New Zealand Warriors.
An accomplished forward, he played in three NRL Grand Finals - winning one with the Storm in 2009 - and managed 51 appearances for the New Zealand Kiwis, where he captained the side and was a member of their 2008 World Cup-winning roster.
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