Brailey's clean Bill of health a huge confidence booster

Knights hooker Jayden Brailey was a frustrated spectator in Round 1 but he is adamant that when he does return he'll be physically and mentally on song thanks to a visit to reconditioning specialist Bill Knowles in December.

Having been out since April last year due to a second knee reconstruction, Brailey could scarcely believe his misfortune when a hamstring issue put his comeback on hold.

When he does get it right, Brailey will be out to make amends for a horror run that has seen him play just 13 games in the past two seasons – but the 27-year-old has full faith his body can stand up to the rigours of a long campaign.

“It’s a minor issue I’ve been working on for a little bit, if it’s not this week it’s not much further away than that,” he said.

“Being out for so long and then going into high-intensity training day in and day out. you are going to get little hiccups.

“A hamstring is a drop in the ocean from where I have come from and it’s a long season.

“I’m looking forward to setting myself up for a good year.”

If he can get back to his dynamic best and play a part in the Knights building on last year’s emotional charge to the finals, Brailey says the pre-Christmas camp in Philadelphia will have been a critical factor.

“Considering the past I had with injury I thought it [the trip to America] could be a breakthrough for me,” he said.

I took so much out of it in terms of confidence and I’m very grateful to get that opportunity from the club.

Jayden Brailey

“I did a five-day camp with two sessions a day, three hours in the gym, on the field, changing my perspective on change-of-direction mechanics.

“By the end of it Bill said ‘I can’t find any red flags’. He said he struggled to find any weaknesses and that was reassuring.”

Following in the footsteps of Tom Trbojevic, Ryan Papenhuyzen and Latrell Mitchell to work with Knowles in Philadelpia, the Knights’ co-captain soaked up every bit of knowledge and encouragement he could from the man the Storm fullback described as "the best person for the job to get me back in a good physical condition".

“Every session was video so I can watch the clips back and I now have programs to help with how I prep for the football field,” Brailey said.

“Bill has worked with the best in the world, NFL teams, a whole different athlete. I was super stoked to spend that time with him.

“We did a video session on running backs which was brilliant. We watch a lot of footy with shapes and all that but we were zoned in on the way they move, their angles with their knees and shins and it all correlated to the positions he was putting me in throughout the camp.

“I was like, ‘it all makes sense now’, putting me in these positions so I can excel when I’m doing that… that’s pretty cool.”

Of the many moments Brailey will savour when he gets back on the paddock is the chance to take the field again with co-captain Kalyn Ponga.

The champion fullback has had to overcome his own share of mental and physical demons in recent years but Brailey says the 2023 Dally M Medal winner can take his game to even greater heights this year.

“Having Kalyn back, that was the driving force behind the 10 in a row last year,” Brailey said.

“When he is fit and firing, there is no one quite like him. He brings so much to out footy side.

“People underestimate how much of a hard worker he is. Lots of people might look at him and think he is talented and a bit cruisy but he is quite the opposite.

“He works extremely hard, he has ripped in through the whole off- season and he leads with his actions.

“He has developed his communication with the team and his leadership. I have seen a massive change in him since my first season here in 2020.

“Comparing him back then to now is chalk and cheese and it goes to show how seriously he is taking his role in the team.

“Making that decision not to play Origin last year [because of his head knocks] was not an easy thing to do, but he wasn’t happy with where he was at and it just goes to show his commitment to the club.

“He cares a lot for us and we love him.”