James Bradley is having the time of his footy life.
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With nine tries to his name, the Maitland winger is Newcastle Rugby League's leading try-scorer again this season after eight rounds.
But his strike-rate is even better. He has only played five matches, returning on Saturday after missing three games with a quad injury. The 22-year-old, who also bagged a hat-trick in round one, scored a double in Maitland's 38-10 win over Souths.
He wasn't the only player to finish with a brace. Fellow outside-backs Gary Anderson and Matthew Soper-Lawler also crossed twice.
But ask Bradley of his run of tries and, like any good winger, he credits the lead-up play of those inside him.
"When we score out wide, all the work is done in the middle," Bradley said. "A fair few of our tries, we can nearly just walk over. The execution on the inside is what is helping our back-line."
A Singleton product, Bradley joined Maitland in 2020 and has been one of the league's finest finishers ever since. He was top of the try-scorers list last season before it was abondoned and memorably crossed in the 2020 President's Cup grand final. He admits life's good at the Pickers, the competition's unbeaten leaders.
"It's good being a winger, getting the spoils," he said.
"But I just do my job, I've just got to make sure we complete the execution. Brock Lamb is making some good choices - I've scored a few off kicks and we play good footy from about 50 metres out."
One of Bradley's tries on the weekend was off a crossfield kick and ended with a dramatic NRL-style put down next to the corner post.
Bradley said he felt lucky to have even scored.
"I was a bit too far infield and the ball just kept travelling into the air, I didn't know where I was," he recalled of the play.
"I had to jump for the corner because I was running out, I didn't know where the sideline was and was just worried about staying in the field.
"That was another Brock Lamb special, a kick to the corner."
After recently completing a Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science, Bradley is having somewhat of a gap year to determine which way to head with his career. But what he is sure of is continuing at Maitland, hopeful the Pickers can continue their charge towards a title.
"I love it. It's the best team I've played with and the boys make it special," he said.
"It's why I love being there, everyone gets along, everyone is a top lad. And the coaching as well, it's next to none. There's always something to work on.
"We're trying to take it week by week at this stage, but obviously the ultimate goal is to win a title.
"Everyone wants it a little bit more after the competition was called off last year."