Though heโs about to embark on a three-year journey across the Tasman, departing Newcastle Knights back-rower Mitch Barnett says heโll be returning to the Steel City one day regardless of how well things go in New Zealand.
Despite making his debut in Canberra, Barnett has become a mainstay at the Knights, playing all but two of his 128 NRL games north of Sydney. After winning two Danny Buderus Medals as the clubโs Player of the Year, itโs clear that the Knights value his input as much as he values the team.
โI came here looking for an opportunity, back when the club was doing it tough,โ Barnett told the Newcastle Herald.
โI thought I held my gloves up. I didnโt always play the best but I always tried my best. I always put a lot of effort into each game.โ
That horror period saw Barnett win just one of his first 25 games for the club, during the horror run that saw the Knights lumped with three consecutive wooden spoons between 2015-17 โ but the club managed to turn things around, eventually making back-to-back finals appearances in 2020-21.
That journey, and the community, have clearly left an imprint on Barnett. Though heโs excited for the next chapter in his career, heโs already certain heโll return to the city, whether or not the Knights want him back one day.
โObviously Iโve signed (with the Warriors) for three years and a lot will depend on how my family likes it over there. We might end up staying longer than that,โ the 28-year-old said.
โBut the plan is to move back to Newcastle eventually. Weโd like to live here once I retire from footy.
โSo if an opportunity comes up at the Knights down the track, I certainly wouldnโt rule it out.โ
Barnett is just one of a number of new faces heading across the ditch, after the Warriors confirmed the departure of 15 squad members prior to the arrival of new coach Andrew Webster.
Heโll be joined by Te Maire Martin, Luke Metcalf, former Warrior Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Marata Niukore and Dylan Walker as the Warriors plot their return to the top half of the NRL table for the first time since 2018.
