Jayden Brailey has made it clear he's under no illusions about the task ahead as he prepares for his first season at the Canberra Raiders.
The former Newcastle Knights hooker has joined the Raiders for 2026 in search of a fresh start, but faces arguably the fiercest positional battle of his NRL career, competing with breakout star Tom Starling and rising talent Owen Pattie for a place in Ricky Stuart's Round 1 side.
Despite Canberra's hooking stocks playing a key role in the club's run to the 2025 minor premiership, Brailey says his focus is firmly on himself, not the names around him.
“Goals for me this year, I want to play consistent first grade footy, that's for me,” Brailey told SEN 1170 Mornings.
“There's obviously a lot of competition in my position, and I'm not too concerned about what's going on around me.
“I'm just trying to be the best version of myself.”
Starling was one of the competition's standout players in 2025, locking down the starting hooker role and becoming a crucial part of the Raiders' spine, while Pattie impressed off the bench in his debut season with his energy and late-game impact.
Brailey arrives from Newcastle after spending six seasons at the club, finishing his Knights career with a career-high 24 appearances in 2025.
While realistic about the challenge ahead, the 29-year-old believes the internal competition will ultimately lift standards across the squad.
“It's probably the most competition, as a hooker, I've had in my whole career,” Brailey said.
“With a fresh start, I've got to earn my stripes again. I've got to really fight for every inch.”
Brailey also spoke highly of the environment Stuart has fostered at the Raiders, describing competition for spots as a cornerstone of the club's culture.
“That's the environment Sticky's creating - high competition for spots, and hooker is an important position,” he said.
“We're all going to lean on each other at different stages of the year, and I'm just looking forward to the challenge and what's ahead.”
