Hopes Bradman Best will be back to join Kalyn Ponga led Newcastle Knights during NRL finals

Kalyn Ponga is already credited with carrying the Knights into the NRL finals, but now the load is even heavier after Bradman Best was ruled out with injury.

Newcastle got some good news on Thursday night with confirmation the NSW Origin centre’s hamstring injury is not as bad as first thought with hopes, if the Knights can upset the Cowboys in Townsville, Best could play in the semifinal.

Best had only returned from another hamstring issue two weeks ago before this latest setback ahead of the do-or-die elimination final clash.

Best will play again this season if the Knights progress past this week but it is unclear if that will mean he would play in the semifinal against the loser of the Storm-Sharks qualifying final. The inform star experienced hamstring tightness following Newcastle’s last-round win over the Dolphins with the Knights opting against the centre making the long trip to Townsville. Best’s absence will come as a blow to the Knights, who had benefited from having he and Ponga firing on the right edge in recent weeks.

The Knights’ top-eight credentials appeared in disarray when Ponga was diagnosed with a Lisfranc injury in his right foot as the side sat 15th on the ladder through seven rounds.

But after Newcastle held themselves together in his absence, Ponga hit top gear on return for the final two months of the regular season.

Another Knight who has battled through a rough season of injury, Jayden Brailey has opened up on his mental struggles ahead of Saturday night’s make or break game.

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 anguish 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 said.

“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.”