Newcastle Knights head coach Adam O'Brien has confirmed Bradman Best's hamstring injury is in what has beden described as a 'tricky spot'.
Best - who was on the fringe of being selected for the New South Wales Blues in the opening game of the 2025 State of Origin series, but may well have been overlooked for a centre spot to Latrell Mitchell and Stephen Crichton - was withdrawn from Friday evening's heavy loss to the Parramatta Eels in the hours leading up to kick-off.
In what was a major blow for the already short on outside backs Knights, the move saw Dylan Lucas forced to shuffle into the centres where he was part of a backline featuring rookie Fletcher Hunt on the wing, who took the spot of Greg Marzhew after he underwent surgery on an MCL injury.
Best has had plenty of hamstring injuries before, but the initial report out of The Newcastle Herald said he could miss up to eight weeks this time as the Knights try to turn their season around.
O'Brien said Best has strength in the hamstring, but that the injury is in a tricky spot and did nothing to dispel the rumour his star Origin calibre centre could miss the next two months of action.
"I don't think it's great. It's in a real tricky spot. That's the problem. He seems to have strength in it, way more than even a low grade hamstring, but from what I can gather from the medical team, it's in a tricky spot," the head coach said after the loss during his post-match press conference.
The Knights have the NRL's worst attacking record, having scored just 128 points in 10 games, and sit in third last on the table. That could fall further if the Gold Coast Titans manage a win over the Canberra Raiders on Sunday.
The Hunter-based outfit only have a single bye over the Origin period as well, so Best will miss plenty of games, with clashes away from home next on the menu against the Penrith Panthers in Bathurst and the St George Illawarra Dragons at Kogarah, before they return home in Round 14 to play the Manly Sea Eagles.
