Despite just finishing “the most disruptive pre-season” he’s ever had, Canberra Raiders fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad remains motivated and optimistic about the 2022 NRL season.

He managed three weeks of training in late 2021, before heading home to New Zealand for the holidays and his son’s birthday. After three weeks with family, he came back and got pinged as a close contact, missing another week of training.

Upon return, he completed a two-week block of training ahead of the first trial against the Roosters, after which he contracted COVID, ruling him out for the Manly trial.

“I was lucky enough to not be too affected,” he said. “I’ve been feeling good for four or five days.

“I was really gutted when I did come down with it … I wanted to get some time in with Jack, Hodgey (Josh Hodgson) and Jamal.”

Despite the disruptions, Nicoll-Klokstad has been highly impressed by the new fitness regime implemented by Raiders’ new Head of Physical Performance, Jeremy Hickmans.

“It’s been fast, it’s been intense, we’ve covered more K’s and done more work in about a third less of the time,” he said.

Alongside Hickmans, returning attacking coach Mick Crawley and Joel Carbone have joined the Raiders coaching panel, both tasked with revitalising the side’s attack. Crawley was previously Canberra attacking coach in 2015-2018, when the side was renowned for a high scoring brand of attacking football built on dynamic ball movement, bodies in motion and individual brilliance.

“I think we’re going to be able to play a bit freer flowing this year,” Nicoll-Klokstad said. “It’s been really exciting this pre-season in terms of attack, it really suits where I’m going.”

After his first year at the Raiders in 2019, Nicoll-Klokstad spent the next two seasons looking to add a ball-playing element to his game.

“I’m always wanting to better myself and look at and do what I can to achieve that, and part of that was my passing game,” he said. “I sort of went away from what works for me, and for me that’s my running game.”

Over the off-season, he confided in his long-term mentor Andrew McFadden, who has coached Nicoll-Klokstad for seven years now across his time at the Raiders and Warriors. McFadden’s advice was to not lose sight of his strengths.

“It’s just been making sure my running game comes first, and whatever happens after that happens after.”

Despite speculation about whether Xavier Savage would usurp Nicoll-Klokstad for the Raiders number one jersey, the incumbent fullback said head coach Ricky Stuart had informed him the spot would remain his.

“Sticky spoke to me the week of the trial and said I’ll be there come round one, but I’ll definitely be making sure come Tuesday that my name is there,” he smiled. “It’s sort of just a habit for me, I love making sure I’m there.”

He’s welcomed the competition and scuttlebutt; it just adds to his burning desire to continually better himself as a footballer.

“I still feel like a rookie, and the way I approach everything is still at that rookie mentality, better never stops and I’m always trying to better myself,” he said.

“That’s the standard I want to be at, and you can’t be at that standard if you’re always content.”

2021 a ‘really hard year’ with silver linings

The neck injury Nicoll-Klokstad suffered last year that limited him to just eight games was certainly tough on him, but also came with its share of silver linings.

“It was really hard to watch from the sidelines, I thought I started the year better than I had the last two years,” he said.

“I was really excited about my game, I’d been working really hard and trained the most I had in that off season leading up to the pre-season, so it was really disappointing to take away that year from me after all the hard work I’d put in, but I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason.”

His sons returned to New Zealand in August 2020, and the injury allowed him to pop across the ditch and spend six weeks with them.

“If there was any year my kids needed me it was that year, so being injured I was able to fly home,” he said.

“I wouldn’t have got that if I hadn’t been injured, so I just always look for the positives and negatives, and it’s all about perspective.

“It was a really hard year for me last year if you look at it, but you can’t look at it like that otherwise you’ll be miserable … there’s more things to be grateful for than what you’re going through.”

Last year’s injury-disrupted season was compounded by the collective disappointment of the Green Machine’s underwhelming season.

“Last year was a really draining year for a lot of individuals and the club, so I think just being able to come in, put everything behind us, start fresh, everyone took a lot of motivation out of that,” he said.

“It’s a really high priority for us to bounce back this year.”

Canberra Daily would love to hear from you about a story idea in the Canberra and surrounding region. Click here to submit a news tip.