Westpac NSW Blues forward Mitch Barnett has a routine method of recovery, which he employed after last Saturday’s draining 83-minute NRL golden-point match between his Warriors and the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.
Playing prop and making 24 runs for 226 metres, alongside 56 tackles at Accor Stadium, you would think Barnett would be heading for extra massages, ice baths, plenty of protein shakes, or the cryotherapy chamber.
“I’m a bit old school when it comes to recovery,” Barnett told nswrl.com.au
“I just fluffed the pillows and slept… a lot. That was the main one, plenty of sleep.
“And also a lot of hydration. Less is more.”
At least the 30-year-old was saved the 4,300km Sydney-Auckland-Sydney round trip to arrive for NSW’s Game Three camp on Monday.
“I nearly did… but I got the call to stay. That was another thing that helped me massively get back on an even keel. I didn’t have all that travel.”
So after being on the extended bench for Game One (5 June) and Game Two (26 June), Barnett finds himself in the 17 for Game Three on Wednesday 17 July at Suncorp Stadium.
He fits the mould of a long line of rugged middle forwards for NSW like Beau Scott, Paul Gallen, Ben Kennedy, Les Davidson or Ray Price.
He admires all of them but it was a nifty little halfback that got Barnett really excited about Origin.
“The moment Trent Hodkinson had the show-and-go and scored (Game Two 2014) did it for me.
“I watched the Blues having to go through all that success Queensland had for eight years. So that moment to get a series win changed everything in my eyes.
“Like any player from NSW I’ve loved all the boys who have put the jersey on. I have no clear favourites.
“But now I get to wear the jersey too and get out on that field.
“I love any opportunity to play Rugby League but playing for my state for the first time is hugely important to me and my family.”
His role as a father is equally critical in his football life.
He left a Newcastle Knights pre-season camp in January 2022 for the birth of his first son, Nate, and made a dash back to New Zealand ahead of Game One last month for the birth of his second, Zane.
“I actually arrived late to that Knights camp because I wanted to see the birth of my first son.
“I wanted to be there for the second despite knowing the timing of it (during Origin camp). I didn’t quite make it but I tried hard.
“I’ll tell them both all about it one day.”
