Boom centre Bradman Best driven to hit top gear with Newcastle Knights in 2022

The 20-year-old has earned the nickname Ferrari among teammates for the amount of time he has spent parked in the garage.

Multiple injuries have restricted the boom centre to only 28 games from a possible 47 over the past two seasons.

So when he suffered a thumb injury late last year, he could have been forgiven for dropping his head and thinking 'not again'.

But Best is determined to hit the ground running in 2022 and he has big goals, including an Origin debut.

His thumb injury was serious enough to require surgery, but with his side's attack rated among the worst in the league last year, Best wasn't letting it become a major setback.

As soon as possible after surgery, Best donned a boxing glove over his injured hand to take part in training. He couldn't catch, but he was there running lines and learning how his side would renew their attack.

Knights head of performance Hayden Knowles said it highlighted Best's determination and resilience.

"Most times when you would have surgery on your thumb, you wouldn't be able to train with the team, you couldn't catch, you couldn't pass, you'd be off doing your own training," Knowles said.

"Instead of working on what can't I do, it was actually working on what I can do.

"They got a little bit innovative and put a guard on the thumb, and a boxing glove, which stopped him even trying to catch a ball. But he was able to join the boys and before you know it he was almost catching one handed.

"He worked out a way, and the rehab staff worked out a way, to make sure he didn't miss crucial training.

"Bradman, I know it sounds cliche, but he wants to be the best. His surname is actually what he is striving for."

Best, for his part, wrote off the thumb injury as "a little knock" and "nothing serious", but he said injuries in recent years had been frustrating. However, he has tried to take positives from each situation.

"It is annoying and it is tough to take," Best said.

"The boys call me a Ferrari if I'm stuck and not doing anything.

"It's always frustrating but that's part of the game and I wouldn't change anything for it.

"When you're injured you appreciate it more and you're training hard and working harder to get back out there on the field.

"I'm still young. I've had a fair few operations and injuries and that now, but you learn something new every time you're going through the injury and rehab stage.

"I know my body needs a lot of prep work, doing little things on my own, for it to be right."

Best played the final seven matches last season to finish strongly, but he was shattered the Knights dropped out of the finals in week one again.

Improving that result is a goal in 2022, as is a Blues debut, but Best knows he will need to play consistent footy for the latter to occur.

"I'm really going to be pushing for an Origin spot this year and the same with club footy, we're going to be pushing for top four as well, if not higher, obviously," he said. "I'm still young but I want to be an older leader in the team. I think it's going to be a big year for the boys."

Best has 12 tries and 11 try assists from his 31 NRL games, but he has also become quite the decoy for his side, such is his presence.

He and Dane Gagai will be the Knights' centres this season and form crucial parts of their attack, which Best said his side was working hard to transform.

"We want to improve our attack from last year and I am a part of that," he said. "We have been knuckling down on our attack and coming up with bits and pieces. It's all coming along and we're all buying into it."

"It's a renewed focus, we obviously do want to be better there and I think we are heading in the right direction."

IN THE NEWS:

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: