The nib Newcastle Knights are delighted to confirm the extension of Jayden Brailey’s contract by a further three years, tying him to the Club until the 2025 season.
Brailey informed his teammates of his decision at the Sunshine Coast Hub last week, with the 25-year-old expressing his desire to continue building towards success in the Hunter.
“It’s a massive honour for me to extend here at the Club and I’m really excited to see what the next couple of years will bring,” Brailey said.
“I feel like I’ve played my best football here, which is a credit to the staff and players around me.
The best of Brails
“I’m really grateful to the Club for having me on until 2025 and I’d love to repay their faith with some success on the field.”
Brailey arrived in Newcastle with his partner Liliana in late-2019 and almost immediately went about establishing himself as a leader at the Club.
Popular amongst fans and teammates, Brailey was named in Adam O’Brien’s five-man leadership group before a ball was kicked this season.
This came despite only playing two games in 2020 due to a knee injury, with Brailey’s charismatic and resilient personality shining through despite not being on the field.
Since returning, Brailey has captained the side on a number of occasions, missed just one game, scored three tries and made over 1000 tackles in an inspirational 2021 season.
His leadership and spark out of dummy half have added an extra dimension to the Knights attack, with the hooker simultaneously providing world-class service to his playmakers on an ultra-consistent basis.
Fast approaching his 100th NRL game, Brailey is now a senior member of the squad and will provide the Club with an elite No.9 for the foreseeable future.
Knights General Manager of Football, Danny Buderus, said securing Brailey’s future was an important step in maintaining a top-quality roster for the years to come.
“This contract comes at a sweet spot in Jayden’s career which will benefit the Club greatly over the next four years,” Buderus said.
“Taking control of the team as one of our senior leaders has seen him grow both on and off the field in just his fifth year of first grade and first as captain.
“The way he handled the disappointment of his injury has set a new standard for rehab and professionalism within the Club as a whole.
“He and his partner Liliana have brought so much personality and character to the Club, and we can’t wait to see what Jayden will bring over the next four seasons.”
