The Newcastle Knights are hopeful Bradman Best's hamstring injury will not rule him out for any length of time, with his potential selection for the NSW Blues in the upcoming State of Origin series also hanging in the balance.
Best was taken out of the game at halftime against the Gold Coast Titans, in what would turn out to be a narrow four-point victory.
A cleary hamstring problem hampered Best, and O'Brien said post-game that the club was hopeful the mechanism of the injury - through stretching rather than sprinting - may allow him to still be picked for State of Origin, with the Blues' team to be confirmed at the end of Round 12 next weekend.
"It wasn't all doom and gloom. There was obviously some hamstring awareness. But that's why I made the decision [to take him out of the game] at halftime," O'Brien said during the post-match press conference after the narrow win over the Gold Coast Titans.
"He hopefully has some really big things to come his way, but there is certainly something to do with the hamstring, but it was a stretching motion rather than a sprinting ping type thing, but I really hope for the kid that he is going to be okay, because he deserves to be there [in Origin]."
Most hamstring injuries - even minor ones - require at least a week or two weeks on the sidelines, which could leave Best in danger of missing the State of Origin boat.
The Knights have the bye next weekend, so at the very least there will be no expectation of him playing another game before the Origin team is picked.
Best is believed to be well in the running for one of the centre spots after a fantastic debut for the Blues during Game 3 of last year's series. New South Wales have already lost Tom Trbojevic from selection through injury, while Latrell Mitchell is badly out of form, leaving Best, Stephen Crichton and Matt Burton as the most likely options in the centres for Michael Maguire.