Bradman Best will miss Newcastle’s game against the Gold Coast Titans on Sunday after suffering a calf injury at training on Saturday, the Knights said.
Club medical staff anticipate Best will miss approximately three matches, and his return to play will depend on how he responds to rehabilitation. He will begin a structured rehab program immediately under the guidance of the club’s medical and high-performance teams, while Fletcher Hunt is set to slot into Best’s centre position for Sunday.
The setback arrives at an awkward moment for Newcastle because Best had been part of conversations for the Blues jersey ahead of Game 1. He was never seen as an Origin walk-in, but he was in the frame as selection talk intensified, with Mitchell’s availability still yet to be confirmed.
That leaves Newcastle managing a key injury at the same time as representative selection debate continues around one of its most watched backs. For Best, the next few weeks now hinge less on the conversation around Game 1 and more on how quickly his calf settles once the work on rehabilitation begins.
