http://www.seaeagles.com.au/news/2016/04/26/wiliame_breaks_winle.html
Wiliame breaks winless hoodoo
Jacky Brady, NRL.com
Tue 26th April, 09:39AM
Competition - NRL Premiership Round - Round 08 Teams - Newcastle Knights v Manly Sea Eagles - 25th of April 2016 Venue - Hunter Stadium, Broadmeadow, NSW, Photographer - Paul Barkley
It took 14 games but Sea Eagles winger Brayden Wiliame can finally say he's won an NRL match following Manly's 26-10 win over the Knights on Anzac Day.
Wiliame's losing woes have become well-known over the opening two months of the season and for the most part he was sick and tired of hearing about it.
"Even my friends were always putting it on me," Wiliame said. "It was so good to get that monkey off my back."
The 23-year-old didn't deny his winless career prior to Monday's game in Newcastle was starting to play on his mind.
"The first 10 games I can so no, but when it was getting to that 13, 14 I can honestly say yes it was. It was so good to get out there and get the win finally," he said.
"It was never going to come easy but I'm glad that we got it. I played here a couple of years ago too so a couple of the boys playing for the Knights now were in the Cup side back then so it was good to get a win against them."
Manly fans have been quite cruel on social media of late, labelling the winger a curse to their club's fortunes.
"They can kick back now," he laughed. "Honestly I read some of the [tweets] once and I'll never read them again. Everybody needed to chill out. It's good that it can all end now."
With Brett Stewart (hamstring) and Tom Trbojevic (ankle) injured in the Sea Eagles' 16-point win, Wiliame is potentially now in line to don the No.1 jumper next Saturday night against North Queensland.
No matter where he lines up next, he was just happy to finally live up to coach Trent Barrett's expectations.
"Wherever Trent puts me I'm going to do my best and we'll just what happens. I'm fine playing anywhere in the backline," Wiliame said.
"Trent's done a lot from me. He just said from the start of pre-season that he wanted a big year from me and straight away from that I went on to have a big pre-season.
"He gave me the nod from the start of the year too. I didn't play as well as I wanted to those first two rounds but I felt good [against Newcastle] defensively and everyone seemed happy with my game so that's good."
Wiliame was drafted back into the Sea Eagles' NRL squad after Jorge Taufua suffered a collarbone injury last weekend.
The Woy Woy Roosters junior had scored six tries in his past two games in the Intrust Super Premiership prior to his NRL return and he believes it reenergised him.
"It gave me a lot of confidence. I was probably out of form last season coming into this year. In myself I knew that," he said.
"But the last couple of weeks have definitely reignited my passion for the game. Coming into this game off the back of the past two weeks was definitely a good thing for me."
