Injury-hit Chudleigh feeds off memories

JOSH Chudleigh holds vivid memories of his one NRL game. Those memories are a trigger, a catalyst that reminds him he can succeed at that level and has what it takes to get back there.

The Blackhawks hooker laced up for the Cowboys in 2016, scoring a try against the Canberra Raiders.

Since then it has been a tumultuous time on the injury front.

Chudleigh ruptured his ACL at the end of that breakthrough season, ending any hopes of adding to his NRL tally the following year.

Two weeks after his return in 2018, he suffered the same injury.

But after what has been his first full pre-season in quite some time, the flame has been reignited to make this season a big one and put himself in the frame for a first-grade return.

“It was a dream come true to play NRL in front of my hometown in Canberra,” Chudleigh said.

“It’s what you play football for and train for, so knowing I can do it has kept the fire going through the injuries.

“It’s the first full pre-season I’ve done in the last three years coming back from knee reconstructions so it was really good to get that under my belt.” Chudleigh will be the only Blackhawks whose opposite number has NRL experience.

Jets hooker Kierran Moseley notched up 21 matches with the Penrith Panthers and Gold Coast Titans, bringing a rapid running game to the field.

It is a play style he continues to adopt and one Chudleigh said his side will have to quell to limit the damage the rest of the Ipswich line-up could inflict.

But he said top level experience does not factor into his thoughts when he steps on to the paddock – whoever his dummy-half rival is, Chudleigh will approach each match-up in the same manner.

“I guess you do want to outplay your opposite number nine whether they played NRL or not, but I’m more focused on getting the team goals first rather than the individual ones,” Chudleigh said.