NRL: Newcastle Knights keep Bradman Best up their sleeve

He isn’t eligible for the NRL team until August but this Newcastle Knights recruit could be the side’s big find in season 2019.

Bradman Best has been earmarked for big things at the Newcastle Knights. Picture: Supplied

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You know you’re not going too bad as a rising rugby league talent when you’ve got Newcastle Knights halfback Mitchell Pearce taking you to and from training.

That was the case last year for former Umina Beach surf club sprint star Bradman Best, who has been earmarked for a big future with the National Rugby League club.

“He’s been really good,” 17-year-old Best said.

“He used to pick me up for training and drop me off; that’s pretty special.

“He says to just train hard and do the little things right.”

Bradman Best (left) has been earmarked by big things at the Newcastle Knights.

Best, a Woy Woy junior, has been in the Knights system since he was 13 and, incredibly, they have him signed until the end of 2022.

But Best, who has been set up with an electrical apprenticeship by the Knights, doesn’t get himself caught up in any of the hype.

“I try not to get my head into that stuff, so it keeps me grounded,” he said.

“I don’t want to put that sort of pressure on myself. I just go out there and do my thing.”

Best is following in some pretty impressive footsteps, playing in the Australian Schoolboys last year, just as his father, former Manly top-grader Roger did.

Best in action for the NSW Blues under-16s team against Queensland in the State of Origin curtain raiser at Suncorp Stadium.

“That was real good, pretty special,” Best said of making the same side as his father did.

“He’s got books and jerseys still out the back and we used to get the clips out and watch them.”

While Best is unable to make his top grade debut until after his 18th birthday in August, he is keen to make a full recovery from a medial ligament strain and then get in some solid game time.

“I’m looking to play a bit of 20s and, if I’m going well, hopefully a bit of NSW Cup,” he said. “And I want to make NSW under-18s.”

Best flinging a discus as a boy.

Best has a beach sprinting background.

Rory Kostjasyn, former Central Coast junior and member of the Knights coaching staff, said there was no rush for him to progress through the grades.

“We know he’s an enormous talent and a good kid,” he said.

“We just want him to progress at a rate that he’s physically capable of.”

Rory Kostjasyn has kind words for recruit Best. Picture: Peter Lorimer