New Zealand Warriors forward and NSW Blues squad member Mitch Barnett has made a decision on his NRL future, signing a new two-year contract.
Announced on Friday, Barnett has confirmed that he will remain at the Warriors until the end of the 2027 season, inking a two-year contract extension.
"Webby has come in and I have really connected with him. He just gets it. He gets rugby league. He gets life. He gets the mixture,โ he said in a statement.
"I needed a bit of a change. My form and my career were stalling a bit at Newcastle and I wanted to test myself and get out of my comfort zone. I wanted to come here to show my value.โ
Barnett has been in career-best form over the past couple of seasons which has seen him average 142 running metres and 30 tackles per game.
This saw him selected by Michael Maguire in the NSW Blues squad for the opening game of the 2024 State of Origin series.
A two-time NSW Residents representative, Barnett has played 28 games with the Warriors since joining them at the start of the 2023 season following stints with the Canberra Raiders (2 games) and Newcastle Knights (126 games).
โHaving Mitch on board for the next three seasons is so important for the club,โ said New Zealand Warriors general manager recruitment, pathways and development Andrew McFadden added.
โHe's a terrific asset, representing all the qualities we want to see in our players.โ
Raised in Wingham, New South Wales, Barnett will run out this weekend against the Melbourne Storm for his 29th match for the club and will be looking to impress NSW Blues selectors before the team is named after Round 15.
โMitch absolutely epitomises toughness, resilience and leadership,โ said New Zealand Warriors head coach Andrew Webster continued.
โWhether he's in the front row or on the edge, he gives the team everything and more.
โThrough the tough period we endured, Mitch was the glue. He worked so hard and really deserved his Origin call-up. He ticks all the boxes. The harder it gets, the better he gets.
โOff the field he's a tremendous influence on the group and shows so much passion for the club. We love him.โ
