Luckless Knights centre Bradman Best is preparing for the long road to recovery after undergoing ankle surgery on Tuesday with the club now more than hopeful he will play a further part in his side's 2020 campaign.
Best went under the knife for the second time this year on Tuesday to repair a syndersmosis ankle injury that threatened to sideline him for the remainder of the season.
As yet, there has been no real time frame put on when he might be back on the field.
"He's very diligent and really good when it comes to his recovery," Knights footy general manager Danny Buderus told the Newcastle Herald.
"He's been there before with surgeries and he knows how committed he has to be to get it right and that's why everyone if really confident he will bounce back as quickly as possible.
"He's come out of the operation really good and in good spirits and he knows what the road back looks like.
"From all reports, the doctor didn't have to do as much work as he thought he might and while it's too early at this stage to put a time frame on it, we are hopeful he will see some more footy this season."
After having his opening to the season disrupted by surgery to repair a broken bone in his foot, Best, who turned 19 last Sunday, had been in dynamic form and was being talked up as a potential NSW Blues bolter at the end of the season.
He showed his toughness by staying on the field during the second half against Melbourne on the Sunshine Coast despite clearly being inconvenienced by his ankle injury.
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Meanwhile, whole-hearted winger Hymel Hunt has become the club's Mr Dependable after not missing a game since linking with the Knights at the start of last season.
While many of his teammates have been struck down by the injury bug, particularly this season, Hunt has been a picture of health and one of the side's most consistent performers.
He has now played 37 games straight for the club including all 24 last season and the opening 13 rounds of this season, the only Knights player to do so. He deflected the credit onto Knights staff.
"We've got a great physio team and medical staff here who are always looking after us and making sure out bodies are fit and firing," he said.
As for playing on the wing rather than in his more favoured centre position, Hunt said:
"Don't change anything that's working is what I've always stuck by. I just want to keep doing my job for the boys and as long as we keep getting the two points, that's all I can focus on and just play my bit for the team."
Under coach Adam O'Brien, the side's wingers and centres have been encouraged to get involved at every opportunity to support the forward pack, particularly with the tough carries coming out of their own end.
Hunt, who build up in the gym during the off-season, has been at the forefront of that for the Knights.
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