Mitchell Barnett
{{Short description|Australia international rugby league footballer}}
{{distinguish|Mitch Barnett (Canadian football)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name = Mitch Barnett
|fullname = Mitchell Barnett
|image = mitchellbarnett.jpg
|imagesize = 290
|caption =
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1994|4|15}}
|birth_place = Taree, New South Wales, Australia
|height = {{convert|187|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}
|weight = {{convert|104|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}
|position = {{rlp|SR|PR|LK}}
|club1 = Canberra Raiders
|year1start = 2015
|year1end =
|appearances1 = 2
|tries1 = 0
|goals1 = 0
|fieldgoals1 = 0
|points1 = 0
|club2 = {{nowrap|Newcastle Knights}}
|year2start = 2016
|year2end = 22
|appearances2 = 126
|tries2 = 21
|goals2 = 16
|fieldgoals2 = 0
|points2 = 116
|club3 = {{nowrap|New Zealand Warriors}}
|year3start = 2023
|year3end = present
|appearances3 = 49
|tries3 = 6
|goals3 = 0
|fieldgoals3 = 0
|points3 = 24
| teamA = {{nowrap|NSW Residents}}
| yearAstart = 2015
| yearAend = 16
| appearancesA = 2
| triesA = 2
| goalsA = 0
| fieldgoalsA = 0
| pointsA = 8
| teamB = New South Wales
| yearBstart = 2024
| yearBend = 25
| appearancesB = 2
| triesB = 0
| goalsB = 0
| fieldgoalsB = 0
| pointsB = 0
| teamC = Australia
| yearCstart = 2024
| appearancesC = 3
| triesC = 0
| goalsC = 0
| fieldgoalsC = 0
| pointsC = 0
| retired =
|updated = 1 June 2025
}}
Mitchell Barnett (born 15 April 1994) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a {{rlp|pr}} or {{rlp|sr}} forward for the New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League (NRL).{{Cite web |title=Player - Mitchell Barnett |url=https://thebench.com.au/code/nrl/players/nzl/mitchell-barnett |access-date=2025-01-27 |website=TheBench |language=en}}
He previously played for the Canberra Raiders and Newcastle Knights in the National Rugby League.
Background
{{BLP unreferenced section|date=July 2024}}
Barnett was born in Taree, New South Wales, Australia.
He started his junior rugby league career with Wingham Tigers Junior Rugby League in 1999, and remained with Wingham JRL until the end of under-16s in 2011, when he was signed by the Newcastle Knights.
Playing career
=Early career=
After playing in the lower grades at the Newcastle Knights, Barnett joined the Canberra Raiders.
File:MITCHELL BARNETT.jpg NYC side in 2014]]
In 2013 and 2014, he played for Canberra's NYC team.{{cite web|url=http://nycdatabase.org/players/b/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413210942/http://nycdatabase.org/players/b/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=13 April 2014|title=B|publisher=Nyc Database|date=27 December 2012|accessdate=2015-08-10}}
=2015=
In 2015, Barnett graduated to Canberra's New South Wales Cup team, Mount Pritchard Mounties.{{cite web|author=|url=http://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2015/03/10/vb_nsw_cup_teams_rou.html|title=VB NSW CUP TEAMS ROUND 2|publisher=NSWRL|date=10 March 2015|accessdate=2015-08-10}} On 10 April, he re-signed with Canberra on a two-year contract.{{cite web|author=|url=http://www.zerotackle.com/nrl/barnett-re-signs-with-the-raiders-17023/|title=Barnett re-signs with the Raiders | NRL|publisher=Zero Tackle|date=10 April 2015|accessdate=2015-08-10}} On 3 May, he played for the New South Wales Residents against the Queensland Residents.{{cite web|url=http://www.nrl.com/representative-round-team-lists/tabid/10874/newsid/85557/default.aspx|title=Representative Round team lists|publisher=NRL.com|date=28 April 2015|accessdate=2015-05-03}}
In round 22 of the 2015 NRL season, he made his NRL debut for Canberra against the Wests Tigers.{{cite web|url=http://www.nrl.com/updated-round-22-nrl-team-lists/tabid/10874/newsid/88631/default.aspx|title=Updated: Round 22 NRL team lists|publisher=NRL.com|date=10 August 2015|accessdate=2015-08-10}} On 27 September, he won the 2015 New South Wales Cup Player of the Year award and was named at second-row in the 2015 New South Wales Cup Team of the Year.{{cite web|url=http://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2015/09/27/_2015_vb_nsw_cup_tea.html|title=2015 VB NSW Cup Team of the Year|publisher=NSWRL|accessdate=2015-09-27|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150928015018/http://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2015/09/27/_2015_vb_nsw_cup_tea.html|archivedate=28 September 2015|df=dmy-all}} In November, after Barnett's management discovered his new Canberra contract for the next two seasons hadn't been lodged with the NRL, he opted to instead attempt to sign a more lucrative deal with the Gold Coast Titans.{{cite web|url=http://www.zerotackle.com/raiders-explore-legal-avenues-over-contract-dispute-19590/#swivTzYVeSJa1DeE.97|title=Raiders explore 'legal avenues' over contract dispute|publisher=Zero Tackle|date=|accessdate=2016-05-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160505230800/http://www.zerotackle.com/raiders-explore-legal-avenues-over-contract-dispute-19590/#swivTzYVeSJa1DeE.97|archive-date=5 May 2016|url-status=dead}} However, after Canberra threatened legal action, the signed contract was discovered and lodged, Barnett returning to Canberra to honour the deal.{{cite web|url=http://www.zerotackle.com/barnett-to-return-to-club-after-contract-discovered-19644/#sGeGDOTpYVEEdLPW.97|title=Barnett to return to club after contract discovered|publisher=Zero Tackle|date=|accessdate=2016-05-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625024338/http://www.zerotackle.com/barnett-to-return-to-club-after-contract-discovered-19644/#sGeGDOTpYVEEdLPW.97|archive-date=25 June 2016|url-status=dead}}
=2016=
On 8 May, Barnett played for the New South Wales Residents against the Queensland Residents for a second year in a row.{{cite web|author=NRL|url=http://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2016/05/01/intrust_super_premie.html|title=UPDATED: 2016 ISP NSW Residents Team|publisher=NSWRL|date=3 May 2016|accessdate=2016-06-11}}
On 8 June, he re-joined the Newcastle Knights effective immediately on a contract until the end of 2017, after being released from the final two years of his Canberra Raiders contract.{{cite web|url=http://www.zerotackle.com/knights-sign-young-duo-22285/#oY93UHx1DrJmpm6I.97|title=Knights sign young duo|publisher=Zero Tackle|date=8 June 2016|accessdate=2016-06-10}} He made his Newcastle debut in round 14 against the New Zealand Warriors. He played nine games for Newcastle in his first season at the club as they finished bottom of the table.{{cite web|url=http://www.nrl.com/updated-team-lists-knights-v-warriors/tabid/10874/newsid/97938/default.aspx|title=Updated team lists: Knights v Warriors|publisher=NRL.com|date=2016-02-28|accessdate=2016-06-11}}{{cite web|url=https://www.sportingnews.com/au/other-sports/list/the-worst-teams-in-nrl-history-newcastle-knights-rugby-league-wooden-spoon-parramatta-eels-salary-cap-semi-radradra-kieran-foran/1k2c6o18od8431jen234fqd91u/4/|title=The worst teams in NRL history|website=Sporting News}}
=2017=
In March, Barnett re-signed with the Newcastle club on a three-year contract until the end of 2020. He made a total of 22 appearances and scored four tries for Newcastle as the club finished last on the table.{{cite web|author=NewcastleKnights.com.au |url=https://www.zerotackle.com/mitch-barnett-re-signs-knights-25790/ |title=Mitch Barnett re-signs with Knights |publisher=Zero Tackle |date=2017-03-05 |accessdate=2017-03-09}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2017/12/12/knights-2017-by-the-numbers/|title=Knights: 2017 by the numbers|website=NRL}}
=2018=
Barnett played 23 games for Newcastle in the 2018 NRL season as the club finished 11th on the table.{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/09/05/newcastle-knights-2018-season-review/|title=Newcastle Knights 2018 season review|website=NRL}}
=2019=
In round 11 against the Sydney Roosters, Barnett kicked two goals, with one from the sideline, after regular kicker Kalyn Ponga went off the field with an injury.{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/draw/nrl-premiership/2019/round-11/knights-v-roosters/|title=Knights v Roosters - Round 11, 2019 - Match Centre|website=National Rugby League|accessdate=27 May 2019}} In December, Barnett re-signed with the Newcastle club on a three-year contract until the end of 2023.{{cite web|url=https://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2019/12/18/workhorse-mitch-barnett-extends-nrl-contract/|title=Workhorse Mitch Barnett extends NRL contract|website=Newcastle Knights|accessdate=18 December 2019}}
=2020=
Barnett played 13 games for Newcastle in the 2020 NRL season. He played in Newcastle's first finals game since 2013 which was a 46-20 loss against South Sydney in the elimination final.{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/11/29/knights-2020-season-by-the-numbers/|title=2020 season by the numbers|website=www.nrl.com}}
=2021=
Barnett played 24 games for Newcastle in the 2021 NRL season including the club's elimination finals loss against Parramatta.{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-12/nrl-parramatta-eels-defeat-newcastle-knights/100436668/|title=Parramatta Eels defeat Newcastle Knights 28-20 in NRL elimination final|newspaper=ABC News|date=12 September 2021}}
=2022=
In round 3 of the 2022 NRL season, Barnett was sent off for using a raised elbow on opponent Chris Smith during Newcastle's 38-20 loss against Penrith,{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2022-ivan-cleary-adam-obrien-mitchell-barnett-sendoff-penrith-panthers-vs-newcastle-knights-round-3/news-story/9d45cffffda2afd724ac3ab05af0d761/|title='Doesn't need me kicking him': O'Brien and Cleary respond to Knights star's 'unusual' send-off|website=www.foxsports.com.au}} and was subsequently referred to the NRL Judiciary for an ungraded dangerous contact charge.{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2022/03/13/juduciary-report-all-the-latest-charges/|title=Judiciary Report: Barnett suspended for six games|website=www.nrl.com}} Barnett had pleaded guilty and claimed the contact was careless, however, it was found to be reckless in nature, with a six match suspension handed down in relation to the incident.{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2022/03/29/live-blog-nrl-judiciary---mitch-barnett-hearing/|title=Mitch Barnett banned for six matches|website=www.nrl.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2022/03/29/i-have-to-better-barnett-vows-to-mend-ways-after-ban/|title='I have to be better': Banned Barnett vows to mend ways|website=www.nrl.com}}
In April, Barnett signed a three-year contract with the New Zealand Warriors starting in 2023, after gaining a release from the final year of his Knights contract.{{Cite web|url=https://www.warriors.kiwi/news/2022/04/19/barnett-signed-from-2023/|title=Barnett joining club from 2023|date=19 April 2022|website=Warriors}}
=2023=
In round 19 of the 2023 NRL season, Barnett scored two tries for New Zealand in their 46-10 victory over Parramatta.{{cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/warriors/300923783/ruthless-warriors-demolish-eels-4610-to-mark-shaun-johnsons-milestone-200th-game-in-style/|title=Ruthless Warriors demolish Eels 46-10 to mark Shaun Johnson's milestone 200th game in style|website=www.stuff.co.nz}}
Barnett played 15 games for the New Zealand Warriors in the 2023 NRL season as the club finished 4th on the table and qualified for the finals. Barnett played in all three finals games as the club reached the preliminary final stage before being knocked out by Brisbane.{{cite web|url=https://www.sportingnews.com/au/rugby-league/news/nrl-2023-new-zealand-warriors-season-review/8343d491a8ee8126ee2829c2#:~:text=This%20season%2C%20they%20struggled%20to,magic%20they%20had%20last%20year./|title=NRL 2023: New Zealand Warriors season review|website=www.sportingnews.com}}
=2024=
Barnett was selected to play off the bench for New South Wales for game three of the 2024 State of Origin series. New South Wales would win the match 14-4 in Brisbane to claim the shield for the first time since 2021.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-2024-round-20-early-mail-ins-and-outs-players-cut-team-selections-mitch-moses-injury-origin-injuries-and-suspensions/news-story/3e5722f6dc03717ef36a97b9aa3823aa/|title=Eels' worst fears; image Kevvie won't want to see in Broncos' brutal Origin blow — Late Mail|website=www.foxsports.com.au}}
= 2025 =
In May, Barnett was selected to play for New South Wales in game one of the 2025 State of Origin series. On 2 June, Barnett was ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering an ACL injury during the New Zealand Warriors round 13 win against South Sydney.{{Cite web |date=2025-06-02 |title=Devastating setback for Barnett |url=https://www.warriors.kiwi/news/2025/06/02/devastating-setback-for-barnett/ |access-date=2025-06-02 |website=Warriors |language=en}}
Statistics
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Year !Team !Games !Tries !Goals !Pts |
| 2015
|{{Leagueicon|Canberra|16}} Canberra Raiders |2 | | | |
| 2016
| rowspan="7" |{{Leagueicon|Newcastle|16}} Newcastle Knights |9 |2 | |8 |
| 2017
|22 |4 | |16 |
| 2018
|23 |2 | |8 |
| 2019
|21 |7 |3 |34 |
| 2020
|13 |1 | |4 |
| 2021
|24 |4 |13 |42 |
| 2022
|14 |2 | |8 |
| 2023
| rowspan="3" |{{Leagueicon|Auckland|16}} New Zealand Warriors |15 |2 | |8 |
| 2024
|23 |4 | | |
| 2025
|11 | | | |
| |Totals
|177 |27 |16 |140 |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.newcastleknights.com.au/teams/telstra-premiership/newcastle-knights/mitchell-barnett/ Newcastle Knights profile]
- [http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/7/playerid/5771/seasonid/44/default.aspx NRL profile]
{{New Zealand Warriors squad}}
{{2015 New South Wales Cup Team of the Year}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barnett, Mitchell}}
Category:Australia national rugby league team players
Category:Australian rugby league players
Category:Canberra Raiders players
Category:Mount Pritchard Mounties players
Category:New South Wales Residents rugby league team players
Category:Newcastle Knights players
Category:New Zealand Warriors players
Category:Rugby league players from Taree
Category:Rugby league second-rows
Category:New South Wales Rugby League State of Origin players