Bradman Best has shed light on why he took a public swipe at former Knights recruitment boss Peter O’Sullivan, admitting he felt “disrespected” when contract talks first kicked off with the man who has since joined the Brisbane Broncos.
Best, the left centre keeping Latrell Mitchell out of the Kangaroos starting side, is one of 11 off-contract players in the Australia squad and has been heavily linked to Parramatta.
centre Bradman BestGetty Images
He caused a stir a couple of weeks ago when he referred to O’Sullivan without naming him when asked why his contract negotiations had stalled with the Knights.
“I know the person that was handling the contracts, a few people were upset [with him], but now he’s gone, so hopefully we can get something done there,” Best said at the time.
Pressed this week about what O’Sullivan had done to upset him, Best told this masthead: “I understand it’s a business, he was trying to do the best thing for the club, and my manager is trying to do what’s best for me. If I see him on the street, I’d shake his hand.
“But there’s a way to go about things. In some way, shape or form, we felt a bit disrespected with how he went about things.
“We’d ring him, then he wouldn’t answer. He’d tell us, ‘Can we catch up?’, then we tried to catch up … it probably went both ways, but like I said, I felt a bit disrespected.
“I wish him all the best now he’s gone to the Broncs.”
O’Sullivan could not be contacted for comment.
The Knights have offered Best a three-year deal worth about $1 million a season, which includes ratchet clauses, while sources with knowledge of the situation not authorised to speak publicly confirmed a fourth year had been verbally discussed.
Best said he could have accelerated negotiations with the Knights had Australia been drawn to play Samoa in Newcastle, rather than Sydney, in this weekend’s World Cup semi-final. New Zealand and Tonga will contest the other semi at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday night.
“I want to sit down with Newcastle and discuss everything, my loyalties are with them, and I’ve got every reason to stay – my little brother Baxter has also just signed,” Best said. “I’m a Newy junior, and I can see we’re on the up.
“If the [Australian] game was in Newcastle this week, I could have fast-tracked things and got the ball rolling.”
Best was aware of the Eels interest, including comments from his soon-to-be father-in-law, champion boxer Jeff Fenech, who wore the blue and gold in the lower grades.
“That was his dream and goal as a kid, and he loved Parra,” Best said of Fenech. “I haven’t spoken to ‘Rylsey’ [Parramatta coach Jason Ryles]. I’ve heard good thing about him, how he’s a great and honest man and up front. Mitch Moses was in my ear earlier when he was in camp, telling me how he was a great coach.
“But I’ve made no decision as of yet. I’ve still got plenty of things to think about, and what’s going to benefit me and my family.”
Best said the competition between he, Mitchell and right centre Kotoni Staggs was helping get the best out of each other. On Sunday, Best will line up on the same side as Knights teammate Jermaine McEwen, who has been in hot form in the back row for Samoa.
Mitchell on Thursday said he was happy to bide his time on the bench. “I’m here to do whatever is needed,” he said. “If it’s five minutes to go, and I come on and kick the field-goal, whatever it is … I’ll do. I’m the worst spectator. It will be no different on Sunday.”
Fullback Reece Walsh confirmed a groin issue was the reason he gave up goal-kicking duties to Cam Munster on Saturday night against the Cook Islands. He would test his groin on Friday before deciding whether to kick on Sunday.
“My groin pulled up a bit tight, I felt it in the warm-up [on Saturday night],” Walsh said. “I tried to keep going with the kicking – if we needed points, I would have continued kicking, but it was smarter to let ‘Mun’ have a crack and show what he can do.”
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