Peter Knights

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Peter Knights (born 30 March 1952) is a former Australian rules footballer and coach.

[edit] VFL career

He played 267 games with Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League (VFL) from 1967 to 1985, and was most well-known for his blond hair and his spectacular high marking.

Knights was a member of Hawthorn's premiership sides in 1976, 1978 and 1983, represented Victoria nine times, and won the club championship in 1975.

Contests between Knights and rival team Essendon Football Club's Paul Vanderhaar became legendary.

[edit] Coaching career

Knights is as much remembered for his failure as a coach as his spectacular success on the field.

In 1986, the VFL expanded to include a team from each of Western Australia and Queensland. The Brisbane Bears, based on the Gold Coast in South East Queensland, recruited Knights as their inaugural coach, despite his lack of coaching experience. Expectations of the new side were low but it was considered a significant achievement that the team was able to avoid finishing last in their first season, 1987.

Despite this, the Bears' results in 1988 and 1989 failed to improve, with the club suffering regular thrashings. Knights was dismissed as coach with seven games remaining in the 1989 season and replaced with team psychologist, Paul Feltham. Knights was considered to have been unlucky, as ineffective club management and poor relationships amongst his underperforming players seen as major contributing factors in the club's performance.

His former club, Hawthorn, appointed him senior coach for the 1994 season, finishing sixth of fifteen clubs—but one place out of the finals. The following year the team finished second last, however, and Knights was again sacked.

Preceded by none	Brisbane Bears coach 1987-1989	Succeeded by Paul Feltham
Preceded by Alan Joyce	Hawthorn Football Club coach 1994-1995	Succeeded by Ken Judge