Immortal Andrew Johns will shift out of the Parramatta Eels' coaching staff ahead of the 2022 season.
Johns, who spent the entirety of his career at the Newcastle Knights, has worked closely with Mitchell Moses and the Parramatta Eels halves during his time at the club in the role of a specialist halves coach.
It has also allowed him to uphold his media commitments.
However, his time at the Eels has come to an end, with a return to the Newcastle Knights being confirmed by the club this afternoon.
It's a blow for the Eels, with Moses taking his game from strength to strength throughout 2021, culminating in a Game 3 Origin appearance following injuries to both Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai.
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Johns has also previously been involved in the New South Wales State of Origin camps alongside head coach Brad Fittler.
Knights' CEO Phillip Gardner said it was a "magical moment" for the club.
โHaving Andrew join the staff is a significant moment in the history of our Club,โ Gardner said.
โHis Rugby League knowledge is unmatched anywhere in the world and he will be an excellent addition to the team.
โJoeyโs return marks the beginning of an incredibly exciting period in our Clubโs history and we canโt wait to see him get to work.โ
While Mitchell Pearce is set to leave the club, a talented crop of halves will be left behind in the Hunter, with Jake Clifford, Adam Clune and Simi Sasagi all at the club, alongside the yet to be re-signed Phoenix Crossland.
Sasagi in particular is seen as the way of the future in Newcastle, while Clifford's signature from the North Queensland Cowboys in the middle of 2021 saw an almost complete turnaround of the side's fortunes.
Two of the quartet could well line up in the six and seven for the Knights in 2022, although it appears the club won't release Pearce until a suitable replacement is named.
There is also the small matter of transforming Kalyn Ponga into a viable option to play in the halves, which is something that has been on the radar for some time.
While it appears unlikely that move will happen for 2022, Pearce's exit could accelerate the process, pending on what sort of replacement the Knights are able to sign for the season.
The Knights had the competition's second-worst attacking record at the end of 2021 despite finishing in the top eight, and it's something Johns will be desperate to get right at his old club.
While Newcastle's defence got them into the finals, a fully functioning attack could have seen them finish further up the table and open a chance at running further into the finals.
It's understood Johns will start work with the Knights when the club return to pre-season training in mid-November.
