Outstanding young Newcastle Knights centre Bradman Best has been stood down by the NRL and will miss Saturday's clash against North Queensland following an inadvertent breach of the NRL's COVID-19 bio-security protocols.
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Best is in self-isolation for seven days and can't train with the rest of the Knights squad because he visited his mother on the Central Coast last Saturday after believing the security measures around players had been relaxed.
It's understood the teenage star, who is shattered at being stood down, heard media reports on Saturday that revealed a change to the players' strict isolation protocols and thought it meant he could visit his family on the Central Coast.
But the protocol changes, that were announced in a press release by the NRL at 3.37 on Saturday afternoon, did not officially kick in until Sunday.
Best, who has been living on his own since the competition resumed several weeks ago, routinely self-reported the visit to the Knights, who were forced to report it to the NRL.
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He has been in outstanding form since recovering from pre-season foot surgery and has been among the Knights best performers since the competition resumed a more than a month ago. He will be a big loss to the side in Townsville.
In Best's absence, Knights coach Adam O'Brien has recalled former Cowboys player Enari Tuala to take on his old club rather than give Tautau Moga his first game of the season.
Tuala lost his place in the side last week with Gehamat Shibasaki preferred in the centres against the Brisbane Broncos.
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