Former Leeds Rhinos player likens reportedly thinks Brian McDermott can be like legendary coach at new club

Danny Buderus is a legendary figure for the Newcastle Knights.

He helped the club win Grand Finals alongside Andrew Johns and was appointed Australia skipper having also captained the the New South Wales to State of Origin success.

After this he left for Leeds Rhinos joining an elite group of players by winning Grand Finals in both Australia and England when he was Man of the Match in the semi-final win over Warrington Wolves in 2011 as Leeds won the Grand Final against St Helens from fifth.

He made connections for life at Leeds and now in a position of power at the Newcastle Knights he has used those connections again and again.

It is suggested that he was key to bringing his former Leeds boss into the Newcastle Knights set up ahead of 2023 after he resigned from Featherstone Rovers as assistant coach and it has since been suggested that having him at the club alongside English signings Kai Pearce-Paul from Wigan Warriors and Will Pryce from Huddersfield Giants will help keep star player Dom Young.

Now the Newcastle Herald is reporting that Buderus believes McDermott can change the attitude at the club and bring a Mal Reilly style steal to the club that has perhaps been lacking.

A legendary figure he played for Castleford and Manly, he was a Great Britain international and coached Castleford, Leeds, Halifax, Newcastle and Huddersfield.

An OBE and a member of the British Rugby League Hall of Fame, McDermott has reportedly been tipped to bring the steal he did in his spell at the club from 1995-98.