'I love playing in that arena': Knights centre ready if Blues come calling

The Advertiser

6 hours ago

Blockbusting Newcastle Knights centre Bradman Best says he will be ready to step back into the State of Origin arena if called on next week, even if an SOS from coach Laurie Daley appears unlikely.
Best has a perfect record in Origin - three tries, including a late one to help hand NSW the shield in last year's decider, and two wins from his two matches.
A hamstring injury thwarted his hopes of being in the mix at the start of the series this year and his absence led to Latrell Mitchell and Stephen Crichton taking the two centre spots.
Best's most likely path back to the Blues would be via an injury to one of those stars before the decider in Sydney on July 9.
But the 23-year-old's man-of-match performance in Newcastle's 26-20 win over the Dolphins in Perth last Saturday is sure to have caught Daley's eye.
In his first game since May 9, Best produced two tries, provided an assist for Brodie Jones' winning four-pointer and ran 193 metres.
He has another chance to impress when the Knights host second-placed Canberra Raiders at McDonald Jones Stadium on Friday night (8pm).
But the Knights' late push for finals, and staying injury free, remain Best's main focus.
"I just want to play good footy here for the Knights first, and if I get the call, it is what it is, I love playing in that arena," Best said on Wednesday.
After an almost uninterrupted 2023 campaign, when Best played a career season-high 25 games, the Woy Woy junior was restricted to just 17 appearances last season.
Hamstring injuries were a repeat issue, and forced him out of contention for Origin I and then ruled him out of Newcastle's elimination final loss to North Queensland.
Best, however, finished the year on a high, being called into the Kangaroos' post-season Pacific Championships campaign and spending about a month training with Mal Meninga's squad.
He had high hopes for a break-out 2025 before being sidelined again in round 10.
"It's tough, obviously, I want to be out there as much as I can, and it hurts seeing the boys go through tough times when they lose," Best said of a relatively young Knights squad's mixed results in his absence.
"But, it's all part of the journey, so I'm just happy to be back. Same with Origin. If I was fit and healthy, I love playing in that arena, but the boys are one and one there and they've got a job to do game three."
Knights utility Phoenix Crossland was not surprised by Best's starring role on return in Perth.
"I would expect nothing less from Braddy to come back and put in that performance," Crossland.
"He's just such a great player. He could play one game once a year and play like that. He's naturally gifted and he doesn't miss a beat when he comes back from injury.
"I'm expecting him to back that up this week."
The Knights are 13th on 14 points, three points adrift of the top eight with plenty of footy to be played.
It is not an unfamiliar position for Newcastle, who staged late-season revivals in 2023 and 2024 to clinch finals appearances.
Best was one of several Knights big guns back in action last weekend, and another in prop Jacob Saifiti is set to return on Friday night.
"It's been a tough sort of period for the team, and I think we've come out pretty well," Crossland said.
"We've had a few good wins with a young team and some good performances. It's exciting to get our first-grade team back ... J Saf and Leo Thompson when he's back from his suspension, and Brad last week. It is coming together at the right time."
In good news for the club, five-eighth Fletcher Sharpe was on his way back to Newcastle on Wednesday after spending time in hospital for a lacerated kidney and ruptured spleen following the game in Perth.
Crossland is set for his 100th NRL and Knights appearance on Friday night but the humble New Zealand international was happy for the spotlight to shine elsewhere.
"It's been a pretty cool journey, and I'm excited to get out there," he said.
"But it's bigger than myself this week. It's Beanie for Brain Cancer Round and a must-win game going into a bye.
"It is special to play 100, but we've got bigger things to play for this week."
Blockbusting Newcastle Knights centre Bradman Best says he will be ready to step back into the State of Origin arena if called on next week, even if an SOS from coach Laurie Daley appears unlikely.
Best has a perfect record in Origin - three tries, including a late one to help hand NSW the shield in last year's decider, and two wins from his two matches.
A hamstring injury thwarted his hopes of being in the mix at the start of the series this year and his absence led to Latrell Mitchell and Stephen Crichton taking the two centre spots.
Best's most likely path back to the Blues would be via an injury to one of those stars before the decider in Sydney on July 9.
But the 23-year-old's man-of-match performance in Newcastle's 26-20 win over the Dolphins in Perth last Saturday is sure to have caught Daley's eye.
In his first game since May 9, Best produced two tries, provided an assist for Brodie Jones' winning four-pointer and ran 193 metres.
He has another chance to impress when the Knights host second-placed Canberra Raiders at McDonald Jones Stadium on Friday night (8pm).
But the Knights' late push for finals, and staying injury free, remain Best's main focus.
"I just want to play good footy here for the Knights first, and if I get the call, it is what it is, I love playing in that arena," Best said on Wednesday.
After an almost uninterrupted 2023 campaign, when Best played a career season-high 25 games, the Woy Woy junior was restricted to just 17 appearances last season.
Hamstring injuries were a repeat issue, and forced him out of contention for Origin I and then ruled him out of Newcastle's elimination final loss to North Queensland.
Best, however, finished the year on a high, being called into the Kangaroos' post-season Pacific Championships campaign and spending about a month training with Mal Meninga's squad.
He had high hopes for a break-out 2025 before being sidelined again in round 10.
"It's tough, obviously, I want to be out there as much as I can, and it hurts seeing the boys go through tough times when they lose," Best said of a relatively young Knights squad's mixed results in his absence.
"But, it's all part of the journey, so I'm just happy to be back. Same with Origin. If I was fit and healthy, I love playing in that arena, but the boys are one and one there and they've got a job to do game three."
Knights utility Phoenix Crossland was not surprised by Best's starring role on return in Perth.
"I would expect nothing less from Braddy to come back and put in that performance," Crossland.
"He's just such a great player. He could play one game once a year and play like that. He's naturally gifted and he doesn't miss a beat when he comes back from injury.
"I'm expecting him to back that up this week."
The Knights are 13th on 14 points, three points adrift of the top eight with plenty of footy to be played.
It is not an unfamiliar position for Newcastle, who staged late-season revivals in 2023 and 2024 to clinch finals appearances.
Best was one of several Knights big guns back in action last weekend, and another in prop Jacob Saifiti is set to return on Friday night.
"It's been a tough sort of period for the team, and I think we've come out pretty well," Crossland said.
"We've had a few good wins with a young team and some good performances. It's exciting to get our first-grade team back ... J Saf and Leo Thompson when he's back from his suspension, and Brad last week. It is coming together at the right time."
In good news for the club, five-eighth Fletcher Sharpe was on his way back to Newcastle on Wednesday after spending time in hospital for a lacerated kidney and ruptured spleen following the game in Perth.
Crossland is set for his 100th NRL and Knights appearance on Friday night but the humble New Zealand international was happy for the spotlight to shine elsewhere.
"It's been a pretty cool journey, and I'm excited to get out there," he said.
"But it's bigger than myself this week. It's Beanie for Brain Cancer Round and a must-win game going into a bye.
"It is special to play 100, but we've got bigger things to play for this week."
Blockbusting Newcastle Knights centre Bradman Best says he will be ready to step back into the State of Origin arena if called on next week, even if an SOS from coach Laurie Daley appears unlikely.
Best has a perfect record in Origin - three tries, including a late one to help hand NSW the shield in last year's decider, and two wins from his two matches.
A hamstring injury thwarted his hopes of being in the mix at the start of the series this year and his absence led to Latrell Mitchell and Stephen Crichton taking the two centre spots.
Best's most likely path back to the Blues would be via an injury to one of those stars before the decider in Sydney on July 9.
But the 23-year-old's man-of-match performance in Newcastle's 26-20 win over the Dolphins in Perth last Saturday is sure to have caught Daley's eye.
In his first game since May 9, Best produced two tries, provided an assist for Brodie Jones' winning four-pointer and ran 193 metres.
He has another chance to impress when the Knights host second-placed Canberra Raiders at McDonald Jones Stadium on Friday night (8pm).
But the Knights' late push for finals, and staying injury free, remain Best's main focus.
"I just want to play good footy here for the Knights first, and if I get the call, it is what it is, I love playing in that arena," Best said on Wednesday.
After an almost uninterrupted 2023 campaign, when Best played a career season-high 25 games, the Woy Woy junior was restricted to just 17 appearances last season.
Hamstring injuries were a repeat issue, and forced him out of contention for Origin I and then ruled him out of Newcastle's elimination final loss to North Queensland.
Best, however, finished the year on a high, being called into the Kangaroos' post-season Pacific Championships campaign and spending about a month training with Mal Meninga's squad.
He had high hopes for a break-out 2025 before being sidelined again in round 10.
"It's tough, obviously, I want to be out there as much as I can, and it hurts seeing the boys go through tough times when they lose," Best said of a relatively young Knights squad's mixed results in his absence.
"But, it's all part of the journey, so I'm just happy to be back. Same with Origin. If I was fit and healthy, I love playing in that arena, but the boys are one and one there and they've got a job to do game three."
Knights utility Phoenix Crossland was not surprised by Best's starring role on return in Perth.
"I would expect nothing less from Braddy to come back and put in that performance," Crossland.
"He's just such a great player. He could play one game once a year and play like that. He's naturally gifted and he doesn't miss a beat when he comes back from injury.
"I'm expecting him to back that up this week."
The Knights are 13th on 14 points, three points adrift of the top eight with plenty of footy to be played.
It is not an unfamiliar position for Newcastle, who staged late-season revivals in 2023 and 2024 to clinch finals appearances.
Best was one of several Knights big guns back in action last weekend, and another in prop Jacob Saifiti is set to return on Friday night.
"It's been a tough sort of period for the team, and I think we've come out pretty well," Crossland said.
"We've had a few good wins with a young team and some good performances. It's exciting to get our first-grade team back ... J Saf and Leo Thompson when he's back from his suspension, and Brad last week. It is coming together at the right time."
In good news for the club, five-eighth Fletcher Sharpe was on his way back to Newcastle on Wednesday after spending time in hospital for a lacerated kidney and ruptured spleen following the game in Perth.
Crossland is set for his 100th NRL and Knights appearance on Friday night but the humble New Zealand international was happy for the spotlight to shine elsewhere.
"It's been a pretty cool journey, and I'm excited to get out there," he said.
"But it's bigger than myself this week. It's Beanie for Brain Cancer Round and a must-win game going into a bye.
"It is special to play 100, but we've got bigger things to play for this week."
Blockbusting Newcastle Knights centre Bradman Best says he will be ready to step back into the State of Origin arena if called on next week, even if an SOS from coach Laurie Daley appears unlikely.
Best has a perfect record in Origin - three tries, including a late one to help hand NSW the shield in last year's decider, and two wins from his two matches.
A hamstring injury thwarted his hopes of being in the mix at the start of the series this year and his absence led to Latrell Mitchell and Stephen Crichton taking the two centre spots.
Best's most likely path back to the Blues would be via an injury to one of those stars before the decider in Sydney on July 9.
But the 23-year-old's man-of-match performance in Newcastle's 26-20 win over the Dolphins in Perth last Saturday is sure to have caught Daley's eye.
In his first game since May 9, Best produced two tries, provided an assist for Brodie Jones' winning four-pointer and ran 193 metres.
He has another chance to impress when the Knights host second-placed Canberra Raiders at McDonald Jones Stadium on Friday night (8pm).
But the Knights' late push for finals, and staying injury free, remain Best's main focus.
"I just want to play good footy here for the Knights first, and if I get the call, it is what it is, I love playing in that arena," Best said on Wednesday.
After an almost uninterrupted 2023 campaign, when Best played a career season-high 25 games, the Woy Woy junior was restricted to just 17 appearances last season.
Hamstring injuries were a repeat issue, and forced him out of contention for Origin I and then ruled him out of Newcastle's elimination final loss to North Queensland.
Best, however, finished the year on a high, being called into the Kangaroos' post-season Pacific Championships campaign and spending about a month training with Mal Meninga's squad.
He had high hopes for a break-out 2025 before being sidelined again in round 10.
"It's tough, obviously, I want to be out there as much as I can, and it hurts seeing the boys go through tough times when they lose," Best said of a relatively young Knights squad's mixed results in his absence.
"But, it's all part of the journey, so I'm just happy to be back. Same with Origin. If I was fit and healthy, I love playing in that arena, but the boys are one and one there and they've got a job to do game three."
Knights utility Phoenix Crossland was not surprised by Best's starring role on return in Perth.
"I would expect nothing less from Braddy to come back and put in that performance," Crossland.
"He's just such a great player. He could play one game once a year and play like that. He's naturally gifted and he doesn't miss a beat when he comes back from injury.
"I'm expecting him to back that up this week."
The Knights are 13th on 14 points, three points adrift of the top eight with plenty of footy to be played.
It is not an unfamiliar position for Newcastle, who staged late-season revivals in 2023 and 2024 to clinch finals appearances.
Best was one of several Knights big guns back in action last weekend, and another in prop Jacob Saifiti is set to return on Friday night.
"It's been a tough sort of period for the team, and I think we've come out pretty well," Crossland said.
"We've had a few good wins with a young team and some good performances. It's exciting to get our first-grade team back ... J Saf and Leo Thompson when he's back from his suspension, and Brad last week. It is coming together at the right time."
In good news for the club, five-eighth Fletcher Sharpe was on his way back to Newcastle on Wednesday after spending time in hospital for a lacerated kidney and ruptured spleen following the game in Perth.
Crossland is set for his 100th NRL and Knights appearance on Friday night but the humble New Zealand international was happy for the spotlight to shine elsewhere.
"It's been a pretty cool journey, and I'm excited to get out there," he said.
"But it's bigger than myself this week. It's Beanie for Brain Cancer Round and a must-win game going into a bye.
"It is special to play 100, but we've got bigger things to play for this week."