It’s only been in the last few weeks Jayden Brailey has begun to feel like himself again.
A devastating run of injuries restricted the hooker to only 60 out of a possible 120 games in five seasons since joining Newcastle from Cronulla in 2020.
The Knights co-captain has been open about his mental health struggles during his long-term injury lay-offs, headlined by two anterior cruciate ligament issues and an Achilles tendon problem.
But recovering from the second of those knee injuries at the start of this season, Brailey began to think 2024 would be his year to make up for lost time.
What he did not realise, though, was getting back on the field did not mean he had recovered completely.
“I probably thought I was going to hit the ground running from round one and it wasn’t the case,” Brailey told AAP.
“It’s a hard game to play, especially being in my position.
“I think just being out for so long, the first half of the season I was just finding my feet and using my eyes again and getting used to it all.”
The Knights’ instability in their halves almost became a punchline this year, coach Adam O’Brien changing his combination eight times across 24 regular-season games.
But in recent weeks, Jack Cogger and Phoenix Crossland combined to help the Knights book eighth spot on the ladder and an elimination-final date with North Queensland this Saturday.
The halves chemistry and Kalyn Ponga’s individual form has grabbed the headlines, but Brailey quietly feels he too is beginning to find his feet.
His two most prolific games for run metres this season – wins against South Sydney and Gold Coast in August – also produced the Knights’ highest scores for the campaign.
“I feel more confident,” Brailey said.
“Especially the last month, or four to six weeks, I’m starting to back myself more and start to feel like myself again.
“It’s been a tough couple of years, so it’s probably taken me a little while to find my feet. I’m just backing myself a little bit more and using our middles up a bit more.
“I’m sort of just enjoying my footy again.”
Co-captain Kalyn Ponga noticed a change in Brailey, too.
“He’s had a pretty tough trot over the past three or four years, so it was always going to take time,” Ponga told AAP.
“But he’s played some good footy over the last three or four weeks. He’s probably peaking at the right time.”
Now, Brailey is eyeing his first finals win as a Knight, having watched from the sidelines during a 10-game winning streak that stretched into the second weeks of the 2023 play-offs.
“You want to be out there (in 2023), without a doubt, but I was sort of just riding the wave with the boys and soaking in the community atmosphere,” he said.
“I always wanted to remember those moments for this time and thank God, it’s come. I can’t wait.”
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