NRL 2020: Brayden Wiliame rewriting his rugby league history with St George Illawarra Dragons
He was once involved in one of the longest dry spells in the NRL. But Brayden Wiliame is determined to write a new chapter in his career with the St George Illawarra Dragons.
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He was once the self-anointed “cursed” player of the NRL.
A youngster who couldn’t crack his first win no matter how hard he tried.
There were six losses for the Parramatta Eels in 2013 before a move to the Newcastle Knights saw him stuck on the sidelines.
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A year on he was involved in five losses with the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles and then a further loss in 2016 before his fortunes finally turned.
A stint overseas with the Catalans Dragons has helped outside back Brayden Wiliame complete his metamorphosis from cursed to “blessed” as he enjoys life with the St George Illawarra Dragons and a new addition to his family.
While others raged against the coronavirus lockdown of the NRL, Wiliame quickly found an upside with the enforced break allowing him to spend more time with his newborn daughter Kobee, wife Stephanie and nine-year-old Ayevaa.
“Since the birth I have been able to witness everything for myself so it’s been really good,” said Wiliame, now based at Campbelltown with his family.
“It’s lovely being a dad.
“I have been able to experience things I definitely wouldn’t have been able to see if the season were still going.’’
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Wiliame, 27, the Central Coast product who played his juniors with the Woy Woy Roosters said
his time in France had strengthened him as a player and he is ready to continue making his mark now he is back in the NRL.
“I had a bit of a chip on my shoulder at first. I wanted to prove to other people that I could do it but after being over there my attitude changed a bit, “ said the Dragon, who made it onto the field in the opening two games of the NRL before the lockdown started.
“I guess I matured a bit as well because it was more like I wanted to prove to myself rather than anyone else.
“I sort of made a goal for myself to go over there and work on my game but I always had that itch to come back and play NRL again.
”The NRL is the best rugby league comp in the world and I wanted to come back and test myself against the best.”
Interestingly Wiliame initially got into rugby league because he was told he wasn’t “rough enough” for soccer when in the under 12s.
“Ha ha, so I went and got into a rougher one,” he said.
Wiliame also said describing himself as “cursed“ to the media during his long dry spell as a youngster had backfired on him.
“I didn’t realise they were going to turn it into a headline story. I was a young kid and I probably made a mistake by mentioning it,“ he said.
“It wasn’t the best feeling. And especially because I wasn’t playing as good as I could have.”