Huge news broke on Tuesday that Warriors and NSW Blues prop Mitchell Barnett will be leaving the club at the end of the 2026 season.
The monster middle was having a career best start to the season in 2025 before an ACL ended his year in horror circumstances.
He will return to the Warriors, hopefully as soon as Round 1, but now fans face the unfortunate scenario of knowing he is moving at seasons end.
Barnett needs to be closer to home to care for his child.
Being he is from Taree, this rules out the likes of the cashed up Perth Bears.
Where will Mitch Barnett end up in 2027 I hear you ask? Well, there won’t be any worries re potential suitors, with nearly every club in the competition likely to be on alert following the announcement.
Here are five potential landing spots for Mitchell Barnett for 2027:
1. Newcastle Knights
Newcastle need to be on the phone right away to the Taree born Barnett.
Barnett’s statement mentioned he needs to be closer to home. Newcastle are the closest option.
They can make the money available. I refuse to believe they couldn’t, to attract a player of Barnett’s abilities.
He won’t come cheap, so you may need to see a big move made, but you just get it done if you are the Knights!
He walks into that side, 100%. Nothing surer.
Newcastle can offer something else that no other side can. Proximity.
Ok it’s only another hour and a bit from Sydney, or a short flight from Brisbane or Melbourne, but there’s a lot to like in Newcastle.
They’ve added Dylan Brown and Sandon Smith as their new looks halves pairing. They also boast one of the game’s most exciting players in Fletcher Sharpe.
Tyson Frizell is in the twilight of his career, with an experienced middle needed to fill that void.
2. St George-Illawarra Dragons
The Dragons have chased every major middle forward who has been off-contract.
I guarantee you they’ll chase Mitch Barnett with every single resource at their disposal.
The Dragons boast some of the game’s best forward prospects. Toby Couchman looks an Origin prop in the making.
Adding the experience and talent of a Mitch Barnett would be worth its weight in gold for Couchman, the club and its fans.
I don’t know the Dragons salary cap situation but I would assume there is money available. There has to be! They’ve chased co many players.
As for a spot? Barnett walks into that side, in whichever position he likes.
The Dragons NEED to make the mother of all plays at Barnett.
Whether or not he can be convinced is another story altogether, but the Dragons need to leave no stone unturned in chasing one of the games elite middles.
3. Cronulla Sharks
There is no secret that the Sharks have a host of NRL quality talent off contract at the end of the season.
Sifa Talakai, Toby Rudolf, Cameron McInnes and Braden Uele are all off contract in the middle of the park. Add to that Sione Katoa and Jesse Ramien also.
The Sharks are set to free up a massive amount of salary cap space, should the majority of these players exit the club.
This would also open up a spot beside former teammate Addin Fonua-Blake in the Sharks engine room.
Cronulla have made two Prelim Finals in a row but look an elite wrecking ball forward short of taking that next step.
The literal perfect match may have fallen into their laps.
I have no doubt in the world that the Sharks have already spoken with AFB re putting in a good word about the Shire based club.
4. Melbourne Storm
Barnett’s statement was clear that he was moving to be closer to home. Melbourne is a 90 minute flight to Newcastle.
The Storm were reportedly set to go all in on a play to bring Tino Fa’asuamaleaui back to the club, prior to his re-committing to the Titans.
Having lost Ryan Papenhuyzen to potential retirement, there’s no secret that the Storm are looking to land a big fish.
There’s a reason they’re willing to go to court to try and secure Zac Lomax.
Players have proven, multiple times over, that they’re willing to take a pay cut to play in Melbourne.
Perennial title contenders, the thought of the Storm adding Mitch Barnett is downright frightening.
Stefano Utoikamanu looked every bit a NSW quality prop the literal second hie put on the Storm jumper last year.
Imagine a player of Barnett’s abilities running out under Craig Bellamy and co!?
They can make the money available and he starts with King shifting to the bench.
This would give the Storm an all NSW Origin starting front row. Awesome.
5. Brisbane Broncos
Another move that would be a little further away than ideal, but again, a Brisbane to Newcastle flight is an hour and 15 minutes.
The quickest way to move on from someone special is to find someone new.
Payne Haas broke the collective hearts of Brisbane fans and there is absolutely no way they’ll ever recover from such news.
Unless they sign Mitch Barnett!
The Warriors two seasons ago announced that they would be allowing Addin Fonua-Blake to return to Australia. Fans were broken. Until they announced the signing of James Fisher-Harris.
Let me be clear here, there is no replacing Payne Haas! That said, Mitch Barnett, his fellow NSW prop, is a fairly handy pick up.
They obviously now have the money available, and the spot to offer.
Brisbane is a marquee market and a side likely to contend for titles for years to come.
If Brisbane is not too far from home, then this looks a near perfect fit.
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