Big bro's injury woes drive NRL's most durable man

Watching serious injuries wreak havoc on his brother's career over the past two years has made Blayke Brailey all the more determined on his run of 76-straight games for the Sharks. 

Easily the NRL's most durable player right now, Blayke hasn't missed a game in the past three seasons and will make his 77th-consecutive appearance on Friday night when the Sharks take on the Warriors in Auckland. 

The 25-year-old's durability is actually even more impressive than it seems, with only a club-enforced rest from the final regular season match of the 2022 season stopping him from sitting on a perfect four-year, 100-game streak. 

It's a run that's in stark contrast to his older brother and former Sharks teammate Jayden, who has managed to play just 13 games in the past two seasons due to a ruptured Achilles in 2022 and ruptured ACL the following year. 

Jayden watched from the sidelines again when his side opened their campaign on Thursday night, as he nurses a hamstring problem that prevented him from taking part in the Pre-Season Challenge. 

Blayke told NRL.com the experience of his brother's painful stints on the sideline has made him even more eager to ensure he is available for each and every game at Cronulla. 

"It’s always been hard to watch him go through those injuries over the last couple of years, when I have been pretty lucky to have some pretty good years on the injury front," Brailey said.

"Every time he has an injury it does hurt me as well.

"That kind of drives me to play every game, because he moved on from the Sharks and it made that No.9 jersey a bit more personal for me."

Admitting his rehab routine is far less extensive and disciplined than others at the club, Blayke says much of the credit for his durability needs to go to his teammates who look after him defensively on the field. 

He's also developed a system which allows him to reduce instances of heavy contact and get through long stints in the middle, despite giving away 20-30kgs on some opponents. 

Blayke finished last season having touched the ball more than any other player in the competition, while also making the fifth most tackles across the season by average. 

"I'll be honest with you, I am not a big recovery person. You won’t catch me too often in an ice bath; I’m not a big fan of cold water!" he said. 

"I feel like I am lucky to have some pretty handy players around me who take hits before I get hit myself.

I have got a pretty good system at the moment and have worked out a few ways I can stay safe and durable, so that hopefully I can keep that streak going.

Blayke Brailey

"There’s scenarios where you have got someone double your size coming at you, which are never going to be easy. But I have worked out a system where I can, not conserve myself as such, but get through games where I am not getting into too many situations where I could get injured."

Heading into the new season Blayke sits well ahead of the next best on the consecutive games list, Canberra's Matt Timoko, but has a long way to go if he is to match the all-time NRL record held by Luke Douglas, who racked up a phenomenal 215 games in a row between 2006 and 2014.  

Meanwhile after being part of Brad Fittler's wider Blues squad for Origin I last year, Blayke said he's still content if another opportunity doesn't come this season under new coach Michael Maguire. 

With Damien Cook and Reece Robson the incumbent hookers and Apisai Koroisau also in the mix, Blayke said he wants to be regarded as the state's premier No.9 before making the step up. 

"I want to be the no questions asked best option [for NSW]," he said. 

"I got a taste of it last year by training a few days with the Origin squad and just to be part of the squad was amazing."