There is a stoicism about Brad Wilkin that his Melbourne Rebels teammates love.
The New South Wales-raised flanker has had the sort of injury-riddled career that would have sent almost any other young player out of the game and into the workforce after three knee reconstructions including one in mid-2019 which saw him endure a 495-day break between games.
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Wilkin made his Rebels return midway through last year’s COVID-19 ravaged season and ended the campaign as one of the team’s most consistent players.
This off-season he has further emerged as one of the team’s leaders and this was made official when he was elevated to the five-man leadership group for 2021 behind captain Dane Haylett-Petty and vice-captain Matt To’omua.
“He is a man of few words but he leads with his actions,” Rebels coach Dave Wessels said.
“He holds a lot of gravitas in the group, when he does speak, people listen and they want to follow.
With Haylett-Petty out for Melbourne’s season-opener against Queensland Reds in Brisbane on Friday night, Wilkin will serve as vice-captain to To’omua.