Bradman Best admits the arrival of his younger brother to Newcastle will play a role in determining whether he stays at the club, but is expecting to test his value on the open market before making a call.
Best headlines a list of star centres poised to become free agents on November 1 – if they don’t recommit beforehand – including Latrell Mitchell, Herbie Farnworth, Matt Burton, Billy Smith, Jack Wighton, Jack Howarth and Deine Mariner.
The NSW centre has knocked back the Knights’ initial contract extension offer, piquing the interest of several clubs, including Parramatta. While his preference is to stay put, his family will weigh heavily in his decision.
On the one hand, he has a young daughter and fiancee Kayla Fenech, the daughter of champion Australian boxer Jeff Fenech, to consider. And then there’s the arrival of 17-year-old sibling Baxter, who has signed with the Knights after impressing in the Broncos’ pathways system.
“It’d be pretty special, obviously. It’s a goal and obviously a dream of mine to play with my younger brother,” Best said.
“It would be pretty special, so hopefully if it happens, it’d be unreal. It does [figure in my thinking] a bit. Obviously, I’ll weigh everything up. I haven’t thought about it too much, but I’ve got to worry about myself. I’ve got a family now as well—a little bub and partner—so I’ll worry about that. But yeah, obviously, like I said, it’d be a dream to play with my brother.”
Best could command up to $1 million per season elsewhere, but would likely have to take considerably less to stay in Newcastle.
“I’ve got to put my family first, bub and partner first, and think about what we want to build as a family,” he said.
“But obviously, the club’s heading in the right direction. I’ve been here my whole life and I love it here, so it would be sad to walk away. But I’m in no rush.
“I want to do something special here, so I’ve sort of put that [contract discussion] on the backburner. It probably will go past November 1st. I’ll be in no rush and taking my time. It’ll be about footy first, and I’ve pretty much put contract talks on hold while this plays out the way it is.”
Asked about the reported interest from the Eels, the 25-year-old said: “I guess it is good hearing that other clubs want you – you don’t want to be coming off contract and no one wants you, but look, like I said, I don’t really worry about that. I just let my manager handle it, and he’ll sort that out.”
Best has put off a wedding date in the hope he will be called up for the Kangaroos squad for the season-ending Rugby League World Cup.
“Obviously, that’s the goal, to play for the Aussies, but that’s also why we’re just waiting and unsure,” he said.
“So we don’t have a date, but we are planning on getting everything sorted slowly.”
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