Barnett, 27, who became a dad in January when his wife Clare gave birth to their first child, a boy named Nate, said fatherhood had been a life-changing experience.

"He has given me a new lease of life, and a new sort of look on life," Barnett said.

"I used to wait for the weekends to play footy and have a beer afterwards, but now I can't wait to get home to Nate. I'm loving it and enjoying being a dad."

Barnett, who has been a firebrand on the field at times during his 116-game career, said his new son had matured him as a person.

"Definitely, massively. Overnight too," he said.

As for juggling a newborn and playing NRL, Barnett said: "To be honest, I don't have to do too much. My wife is up all night. She is working hard. I just get the reward at the end of the day, I get to go home to him."

Now in his seventh season at the Knights, Barnett has played the majority of his career at lock or in the back row, but filled in at prop in the first two rounds in place of the injured Daniel Saifiti.

When Lachlan Fitzgibbon left the field with a knee injury against the Wests Tigers on Sunday, Barnett moved to the back row.

The Wingham product has been named to stay there against Penrith at Bathurst on Saturday, but wasn't exactly sure where he would play given prop David Klemmer is out as well.

"To be honest we haven't spoke about that yet," Barnett said.

"I went there on the weekend, but Jirah [Momoisea], he is a back-rower as well. So me or him, it doesn't matter for me.

"It's a job I did all year last year while Fitz was out, so I'm happy to do whatever."

Barnett said Fitzgibbon was holding up well given he was expected to be sidelined for at least eight weeks.

"Fitz is a mentally tough person. The footy gods have been against him, it's hard to see, but he will bounce back," Barnett said.

"I'm not sure what it looks like for him over the next couple of months but he will handle it well and come back bigger and stronger."

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