The special bond between Bradman Best and Mitch Barnett will be strengthened tonight, when the pair run out onto Suncorp Stadium as members of the Westpac NSW Blues for the Game Three decider.
Barnett was in the forward pack, when Best made his NRL debut back in August 2019 with the Newcastle Knights.
Now with the NZ Warriors, Barnett will have Best out there on the field for when he make his Origin debut.
“That’s crazy – how good,” Best told nswrl.com.au
“He’s just so tough and he’s team-first. He does everything for the boys.
“He’s got a motor like no other. He can go all day. I can’t wait to run out with him.”
The feeling is mutual with 30-year-old Barnett.
“He must have been thinking I’d never make it,” Barnett said.
“But he’s a good mate. It’s great to get that Knights thing going again – with Connor (Watson) as well.”
Of course Best nearly didn’t make it with a hamstring injury ruling him out of Games One and Two this year and rearing its head early in the build-up to Game Three.
The 23 year-old has since passed all the fitness tests and field sessions he was required to do.
“It’s obviously tough getting injured and you miss games like this,” Best said.
“But you’ve just got to get yourself back up and back into a good space and get your work ethic going again.
“To get back into this team when I thought that might not happen this year is like saying fairy tales do come true.
“I watched Game Two at home. It was an unreal feeling seeing the boys do something special that night (38-18).
“I was screaming at the television the whole game.
“Now I get to scream while I’m actually on the field. I can’t wait to run out with the boys again and recreate some mayhem again.”
Best scored two tries on debut in NSW’s win in Game Three last year (24-10).
