Bradman Best, a center for the NSW Blues, is apparently going to turn down a big-time offer from the Wests Tigers and re-sign with the Newcastle Knights.
With reports circulating that Benji Marshall was prepared to offer Best one of the highest-paying centers in the league on a contract worth roughly $800,000 a season, Best has been frequently associated with the Wests Tigers.
Despite the Wests Tigers’ poaching bid, News Corp. reports that Best is set to stay in Newcastle after signing a contract extension worth more than $2 million.
It is believed that the Knights have talked about paying him an estimated $700,000 per season for a three-year extension that will keep him there until the end of 2026. This implies that his annual salary will be lower than what the Tigers have proposed.
The 22-year-old is hoping to finalize a new contract before the 2024 NRL season, having had his best season to date in 2023.
As the Knights intensify their preseason, Best declared, “I want to stay here,” via News Corp.
“The Tigers are eager and have expressed some interest, but I need to consider all the options.
“I will be staying at the Knights if everything goes according to plan. I’m actually settled here, but we’ll see what happens.
“I adore the club and the culture we’ve established. It would be very difficult to leave the guys here because we are a close-knit group of guys.
“The way of life in Newcastle is unmatched.” Here we are
He scored 13 tries in 25 games for the Knights after making his NSW Blues debut the previous season, making him one of the hottest properties on the market with the potential to maximize his value.
Best scored twice as NSW defeated Queensland in the Game Three dead rubber match, marking his debut in the State of Origin.
The Newcastle Knights finished the 2023 season with a bang, and they’ll be hoping to build on that success as they go for their first Grand Final victory since 2001.
He continued, “I don’t want this contract stuff hanging around for too long. I want to sort it out.”
While I’m not in a rush, I also don’t want the season to go on forever. There shouldn’t be too much of an issue with the Knights deal.
“I would like to play steady, quality football for the team and, ideally, help the Knights win a championship; that would be really amazing.”
“We accomplished incredible things last year. We knew we had a bad start to the year, but we also knew we had a special side, and because of our closeness, we realized how good we could be.
This community was ecstatic about winning ten straight games and advancing to the home semifinal; there was an incredible buzz.
“I have the good fortune to have clubs interested in me. Some players have to return to the real world, look for work in the Super League, or give up their game because no club wants them.”
