‘We love him’: Career-best form earns Barnett his Warriors extension

Mitch Barnett has signed a two-year extension with the New Zealand Warriors, recommitting to the club through to the end of the 2027 NRL season as he continues to hit new highs in his rugby league career.

Barnett, 30, has been a revelation in Andrew Webster’s forward pack across the Tasman through the 2024 season so far.

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His rampaging campaign, which has seen him making 30 tackles a game and averaging 142 running metres, earned him a place in Michael Maguire’s New South Wales State of Origin squad late last month. Now, Webster has given him the big tick of approval by lining up an extension that will see him stay in Kiwi black until 2027.

The Wingham-born star, who has also played for the Knights and Raiders across his 156-game NRL career, has been very vocal about how much playing under Webster has upped his game recently.

“Webby has come in and I have really connected with him. He just gets it. He gets rugby league. He gets life. He gets the mixture,” he said. “I needed a bit of a change. My form and my career were stalling a bit at Newcastle and I wanted to test myself and get out of my comfort zone. I wanted to come here to show my value.”

The 30-year-old gets just as much love from his head coach back too.

“Mitch absolutely epitomises toughness, resilience and leadership,” Warriors head coach Andrew Webster said.

“Whether he’s in the front row or on the edge, he gives the team everything and more.

“Through the tough period we endured, Mitch was the glue. He worked so hard and really deserved his Origin call-up. He ticks all the boxes. The harder it gets, the better he gets.

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“Off the field, he’s a tremendous influence on the group and shows so much passion for the club. We love him.”