He doesn't celebrate his 18th birthday until late next year but already he's had a taste of NRL training.



Meet Bradman Best, a talented teen who has signed with the nib Newcastle Knights until at leas the end of 2022.



How talented is he, you ask?





Meet Bradman Best: The youngster with big dreams



Gifted enough to be invited to train with the NRL squad last year and all before his 17th birthday.



A centre with size and strength beyond his years, Best was rubbing shoulders with the likes of Sione Mata'utia and Shaun Kenny-Dowall as part of his development.







"It was unbelievable. I was really nervous coming in," Best said.



"Some of them even knew my name. It was pretty special to get that opportunity.



"Training with the big boys was pretty cool."



Best started playing for Woy Woy at the age of 10 before he was scouted by the Knights at 13.



"He was always an exciting junior who joined our EPD squad at 13," Knights Player List Manager Troy Pezet said.



"Scott Dureau's decision to shift Bradman from the forwards to fullback at age 15 to enhance his skill, communication and game awareness has proved and a real winner in Bradman's development."



It didn't take the centre long before he progressed through the grades and earned representative selection.



It's a feat his father Roger Best also achieved.



Roger was an Australian Schoolboy who later played for Manly and the London Broncos.



"I've played a bit of rep footy," Best said.



"I played a year young for Harold Matthews. I played Harold Matthews again at my own age and played in the 2017 Origin and we won that.



"A year later, I played SG Ball a year young and made the Origin team a year young there and this year I've been selected for the Australian Schoolboys team to play in England."



While Best was already contracted beyond next season, the youngster is one of a host of emerging talents to extend his deal.



He's still eligible for SG Ball but is likely to feature heavily in the Jersey Flegg side in 2019.



With the future secured, Best has set himself some lofty goals to reach in his rugby league career.







"I feel special that they've signed me and see something special in me," he said.



"I guess it's up to me now to keep training hard.



"My long-term goal is to definitely play NRL and my biggest goal would be to represent Australia.



"My short-term goals are to play a bit of 20s and play Origin my own age again."



