From a six-week ban for a reckless elbow to a starting jersey for the Blues, Mitch Barnett's rise to a leadership position with the Wahs hasn't been a linear climb.
Named to start in the engine room for New South Wales in next week's Origin opener, the hard-nosed New Zealand Warriors prop has cemented his place as one of the NRL's most reliable forwards.
But the 31-year-old admits the path was far from straightforward.
Speaking to during Origin camp, Barnett reflected on the turning point in his career, and the moment he realised he wasn't ready for the responsibilities that came early.
"When I was at Newcastle, Nathan Brown saw me as a future leader and sort of fast-tracked me into a bit of a leadership role," Barnett told Wide World of Sports.
"I didn't really enjoy it too much, and I probably wasn't ready to be a leader, probably more so not being ready, even though my actions on the field said that maybe I was."
After seven seasons and 126 first-grade games with the Knights, Barnett made the move to the Warriors at the end of 2022. The change of scenery and a shift in mindset proved to be the catalyst.
"Since going across to New Zealand, I just didn't think about that stuff at all - I was an open book," he said.
"I didn't think about anything other than training well and playing well. I wanted to put my best foot forward for them."
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Under head coach Andrew Webster, Barnett gradually stepped into a leadership role; however, this time on his own terms. His consistent performances and maturity earned him the Warriors' co-captaincy, a role he now relishes.
"It's something I've taken on head first, and I've loved having that responsibility. It wasn't something that I was striving for, but Webby saw something in me," he said.
"Even the growth I've had in that leadership role since taking it over - it's been great for me personally."
Barnett's numbers speak for themselves. He's averaging 141 run metres and 36 tackles per game this season, continuing the form that earned him both Blues and Kangaroos debuts in 2024.
And now, as he prepares to line up alongside Payne Haas in one of rugby league's toughest arenas, Barnett is seemingly ready.
"It still hasn't all really sunk in yet. I'm grateful that I've got the opportunity to be coming back in here and putting my best foot forward again," he said.