A heart-to-heart with his gravely ill grandfather and a pressing need to leave the family nest were influential factors in Berrick Barnes' shock decision to leave the Queensland Reds and link with the NSW Waratahs for the 2009 Super 14 season.

While Barnes on Wednesday conceded he'd grown increasingly frustrated with the Reds' inability to climb out of the competition cellar, a simple desire to "grow up" and challenge himself were the chief reasons for his defection.

"I needed a spark up, probably, personally. I needed to get outside. I have lived in the womb there in Brisbane for a long time, and I have lived at home," Barnes said after announcing he'd agreed to a one-season deal with another one-year option to join the Waratahs, in addition to re-signing with the Australian Rugby Union through to the 2011 World Cup.

"I have lived in my comfort zone, to be honest. I never really probably challenged that.

"This is going to be a bit of a test for me. It is nothing no-one hasn't done before. I just have to grow up."

Indeed, the classy midfield playmaker is not the first proud Queenslander to have joined the Reds' arch-rivals.

Two-time World Cup winner Jason Little also made the controversial move late in his career.

"We've obviously known about Jason and we spoke about that in making this decision," Barnes said.

"It's ground that's been trodden on before. I'm not the first one to do it, which is a positive thing.

"Obviously I was a bit younger than Jason when I did it and I hadn't played a hundred games for Queensland either."

Still, the 23-year-old had played 45 Super games for Queensland since debuting in 2006 after two seasons with the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL and grown to become one of the most important figures at the battling Reds.

The centre-five-eighth said the decision to walk away from his teammates - most particularly captain James Horwill and veteran hooker Sean Hardman - as well as the Reds' loyal fans had left him feeling gutted.

It is also an absolutely crushing blow to the Reds, who were already reeling from losing Hugh McMeniman, their best forward, to Japan.

Barnes said he only decided to join the Waratahs on Saturday after spending last week facing some of life's harsh realities at the hospital bedside of his grandfather and confidante Robin Shaw.

He had been expected to remain with the Reds, who had worked feverishly to keep their vice-captain in a prolonged negotiation process which started almost three months ago.

Queensland coach Phil Mooney was upset by his key player's defection, especially after believing the QRU had met all of Barnes' requests to remain.

"We certainly haven't left any stone unturned. We worked very hard to keep him," Mooney told AAP.

"But one thing about it, no-one is bigger than the team. We just have to concentrate on the players that want to be here."

The loss of Barnes also puts a cloud over Reds strike weapon Digby Ioane's retention, with NSW in the hunt to also sign the injured Test three-quarter.

While the Reds are staggering, the Waratahs' nabbing of Barnes and the recruitment last week of Wallabies winger Drew Mitchell is ample compensation for the double-barrelled loss this month of Lote Tuqiri and Timana Tahu.

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