THE Newcastle Knights are content to play the long game as they wait to learn whether their most prominent free agent, NSW Origin centre Bradman Best, has accepted or rejected a lucrative three-year contract extension.
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Best is contracted to Newcastle until the end of 2024 but has been entitled to negotiate with rival clubs since November 1.
Despite stating in August he hoped to get a deal done "as soon as possible", the 22-year-old flyer has not rushed to put his name on a three-season extension with the Knights that is reportedly worth more than $2 million.
Best recently linked with a new management group, Black Money Enterprises, and while the protracted nature of his contract talks have bemused Knights officials, they are happy to let the process run its course.
"Not much happens over that Christmas-new year period, but now that everybody is back and around the place, we'll resume our discussions and see where they take us," Knights football director Peter Parr told the Herald.
Asked if the club might need to impose a deadline to bring the matter to a head, Parr replied: "I don't operate like that.
"I don't think that would achieve too much. It's still only early in the year."
Parr was relaxed about the prospect of Wests Tigers potentially launching a bid for Best, after the two-time wooden spooners recently paid huge money to sign Penrith playmaker Jarome Luai.
Best and Luai are managed by the same agency.
"I wouldn't say I was concerned about that," Parr said.
"Our role is to ensure we're doing the best for all parties.
"Our role is to provide with Bradman an appropriate offer, within any constraints we may have in the salary cap, and doing the best for the club.
"So it's always a little bit tricky. But we're doing our best to meet all those requirements, and then it's a decision for Bradman.
"I'm still confident he'll remain at the club, but the only guarantee I have is that we're doing everything we can to convince him to stay."
A Woy Woy junior, Best has been with the Knights since Harold Matthews (under-16s) and debuted in the NRL in 2019, within weeks of his 18th birthday.
After an injury-plagued run between 2020 and 2022, he came of age last season, playing in 25 games and scoring 13 tries to earn his first Origin call-up. He marked the occasion with two tries on debut in NSW's 24-10 win against Queensland in game three of last year's interstate series.
Newcastle's other off-season retention priority was Best's NSW teammate Jacob Saifiti, who recently re-signed with the club for a further three years.
The Knights have a handful of first-graders who are also unsigned beyond 2024, including Dane Gagai, Tyson Gamble, Mat Croker, Enari Tuala and Krystian Mapapalangi.
Meanwhile, Newcastle's NRL squad and staff travelled to Tamworth on Monday for a week-long training camp. They will be based at Farrer Agricultural High School.
