After a storming start to the post-COVID-19 shutdown season, Best has been a victim of the Knights spluttering attack in recent weeks and hasn't been a major force on his side's left edge.

But O'Brien expects Best to rise to the challenge of shutting down one of the game's most explosive runners of the footy in 'Jimmy the Jet' Roberts.

"That's what I love about Bradie, you set him a task and he goes after it," O'Brien said on Friday. "He gets hungry and I think someone of James Roberts' ability in the other team only suits Bradman. I think he's ready to go after that one."

After scoring five tries in the opening three games of the revamped competition, Best has struggled to get himself involved over the past few weeks.

In round four against the Canberra Raiders, Best ran for 166 metres, scored two tries, had two try assists and made six tackle busts.

Against the Eels last Sunday, he was restricted to just 92 metres without a tackle bust and rarely saw any quality ball against a swarming Parramatta defensive line.

O'Brien admitted getting more footy to his powerhouse centre had been talked about this week.

"It's certainly something that we have identified and spoken about," O'Brien said.

"It's easy to say just give him early ball but you need to have some more details in and around that and Bradman needs to be in a better position himself to receive that ball so I think it is a two-way street that one."

In the wake of widespread criticism of the standard of his side's attack, including a claim by Phil Gould that it was "inept" in the win over Manly, O'Brien accepts improvement is needed.

"It's [the criticism] warranted, given the way we have attacked over the past two games," he said.

"At the same time, I was really proud of the boys defensively. We kept the number one team [the Eels] down to two tries and there was one we played a fair part in [last weekend]. There is not a lot getting spoken about Parramatta's attack only scoring the two. Our attack will only get better as the season goes along,

"We've had a large portion of the squad missing and that will affect your attack. You always defend well beside a new bloke because your systems are in place but it does make it challenging with the ball if you've got multiple changes.

"Hopefully we can get some continuity and from the way they've trained this week, I'd like to think we'll be better for it. We haven't changed anything structurally. We have just spoken about the need to finish sets off."

O'Brien said skipper Mitchell Pearce, who has battled a knee strain, is feeling the best he has for a number of weeks while he expects Connor Watson and Mitch Barnett to make a big impact off the bench.

While you're with us, did you know the Newcastle Herald offers breaking news alerts, daily email newsletters and more? Keep up to date with all the local news - sign up here

IN OTHER NEWS