NEWCASTLE Knights hooker Jayden Brailey isn't satisfied to simply be back on the field.
Brailey returned to action two weeks ago after rupturing his Achilles tendon in the pre-season, but his joy has been tempered by Newcastle's past two results - a 42-12 hammering from Manly on Saturday, which followed a 40-28 loss to South Sydney eight days earlier.
"It sucks walking in there [after a loss] and having that feeling in the pit of your stomach, when we haven't put in a performance that we're happy with," Brailey told the Newcastle Herald.
"That feeling is still there today.
"It's been frustrating for all of us. It's very disappointing that we're in this predicament, but no matter what the situation is, you still have to go out there and represent the Newcastle Knights.
"It's NRL. You've got to turn up each week and play good football.
"There's a buzz in the community when we win, and that's what we're chasing, that good feeling everyone has after a win."
After the loss against Manly, Newcastle are languishing in 13th rung on the competition ladder, four wins adrift of the top eight teams with seven regular-season games remaining.
But Brailey said the Knights won't concede their finals hopes are done and dusted until a top-eight spot is officially out of reach.
"This year, we just haven't put it together, but it's not over," he said.
"There is still belief there, but we just have to take it one game at a time and put one foot in front of the other.
"We haven't ruled out the finals. Mathematically there's still a glimmer of hope. We can still get there, but we just have to worry about the Roosters [at McDonald Jones Stadium] on Friday."
If the Knights, as expected, do miss the finals, it will be a new experience for Brailey, who debuted at Cronulla in 2017 and has appeared in six play-offs.
"I've been lucky that I've been part of some really good teams," he said.
"Obviously this year hasn't panned out the way we wanted it to, but we're not done yet."
After a 40-minute stint off the bench against Souths, Brailey played the full duration against Manly and was "always confident" he could handle 80 minutes.
"I've banked it now and hopefully I can get a bit more out of myself each week," he said.
Meanwhile, the Knights could be facing an outside-back crisis against the Roosters, after wingers Edrick Lee (foot) and Dominic Young (ribs) joined Bradman Best (thumb) on the injured list.
There are concerns that Lee, who has signed a two-year deal with the Dolphins from next season, may have aggravated the foot injury that kept him on the sidelines for the entirety of Newcastle's 2022 campaign.
Experienced Hymel Hunt, who is yet to play in the NRL this season because of injuries, is likely to win a recall.
Rugged back-rower Tyson Frizell also aggravated a rib problem during the loss to Manly but was back at training on Monday.
