In three of the past four seasons, Knights coach Adam O'Brien has been without star hooker Jayden Brailey for extended periods.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Two knee reconstructions and a ruptured Achilles tendon have cruelly restricted the dummy-half to just 38 appearances out of a possible 100 NRL games.
So it is little wonder O'Brien is taking a cautious approach to the 27-year-old's latest injury.
Brailey did not feature in Newcastle's first trial against Cronulla in Gosford on Saturday, and appears long odds to play against Melbourne in Fiji this weekend.
"We haven't ruled 'Brails' in or out for Fiji," O'Brien said after his side's 44-18 victory over the Sharks.
"It's a minor, lower-grade [hamstring] strain, but given his history, and what he means to us, I won't make a short-term decision.
"It's more me than anything.
"It's a big season, a big injury history I can't ignore, so I'm the one holding him back."
O'Brien will name a side later today for Saturday's 1.45pm (AEDT) clash with the Storm.
Given he can use up to 28 players in the trial, there would be no harm including Brailey on the team list even if he ultimately doesn't play.
The 107-game hooker was sporting a compression garment on his injured leg at Gosford while fellow rakes Phoenix Crossland and Riley Jones worked out of dummy-half against his old club.
Crossland, who played the majority of his 25 games last year at hooker in place of Brailey, started the trial and appears increasingly likely to do so in round one.
Jones, a debutant when Crossland was rested last year, also showed his skills scoring from a solo run.
Brailey's injury also throws a spanner in the works for who O'Brien might use as a bench utility first-up against the Raiders on March 7.
A month out from last year's finals, the Knights bought a back-up No.9 in Fa'amanu Brown to ensure they had adequate cover, but he departed after just two games.
Kurt Mann, who was the bench utility for much of last season and in the play-offs, has also moved on.
The three-way race for two halves positions between Jackson Hastings, Jack Cogger and Tyson Gamble could also be a factor in who gets handed the No.14 jersey.
Saturday's trial was played in 31-degree heat and similar temperatures are expected in Fiji, but with the Knights drawn to face the Cowboys in round two O'Brien found positives in the conditions.
"We'll be ready for Townsville in round two, we'll be used to it," he said.
"The NRL will put in the same protocols.
"We'll take as many players as we can. We'll deal with it. I've got plenty of time after that to freshen them up and get them hydrated."
Meanwhile, rookie forward Sebastian Su'a copped a one-match ban for a shoulder charge in Saturday's trial.
