Mick Potter is set to resurrect his NRL coaching career as part of Nathan Brown's staff at Newcastle.
Fairfax Media understands that Potter has had discussions to join Brown at Newcastle as the incoming Knights coach puts his finishing touches on his support staff. Potter and Brown have an extended history together with Potter captaining Brown in his first season in first grade at St George. The two would then coach together at St George Illawarra before Potter made the move to Catalans Dragons in 2006.
It remains to be seen how the potential appointment of Potter affects the Knights' desire to sign Robbie Farah, whose been told his future lays elsewhere.
Potter and Farah had a rocky relationship during Potter's final stages at the Tigers in the 2014 season. It is understood there is no bad blood between the pair. The Knights have been linked to Farah after they released rake Adam Clydsdale to Canberra this week.
Potter has not coached in the NRL since being dumped after two years as Wests Tigers coach at the end of last year. Ironically, Brown was a front-runner to fill the void left by Potter at the Wests Tigers before the club opted to appoint Jason Taylor for this season.
Potter has spent a large chunk of this year coaching in Fiji, specifically working with the nation's under-20s side. He also spent time working as an assistant coach to the NSW under-16s side earlier this year.
Brown is yet to finalise a host of positions on his coaching staff since being announced as Newcastle's coach for the next three years. Danny Buderus will be another one of Brown's assistants after the ex-Newcastle captain took over as interim coach from the sacked Rick Stone for the final six games of the season.
St George Illawarra's high performance manager Mark Andrews is expected to reunite with Brown at the Knights. Andrews was the assistant strength and conditioner during Brown's final two years at St George Illawarra before Andrews followed Brown to Huddersfield.
Andrews worked at the Melbourne Rebels before returning to St George Illawarra ahead of the 2014 season.
Meanwhile, former St George Illawarra halfback Mat Head will return to the club as the under-20s coach next year. Head, who played 67 top grade games for the Dragons, was in charge of Balmain's under-18 SG Ball team in the past three seasons. He replaces Ben Hornby who will join Dean Young as one of Paul McGregor's full-time assistant coaches. Ian Millward will shift to part-time assistant NRL coach and coach the club's NSW Cup feeder club the Illawarra Cutters.
Australian physiotherapist Tony Ayoub will join the Dragons from Melbourne as the club's director of performance and medical.
In other coaching news, former Manly assistant coach David Penna is expected to join South Sydney as their under-20s coach.
