Ben Talty has certainly come a long way since this time last year when he was playing for the Bears at North Sydney Oval in the NSW Cup.
Recently, he returned from London, where he participated in a World Cup Challenge with the premiership-winning Brisbane Broncos.
"And that, that was certainly an unreal experience."
For Talty, this experience was not just a moment of glory; it represented years of hard work, dedication, and perseverance. His journey took him from Denman to Newcastle, then to Sydney, and finally to Brisbane, waiting until the age of 26 to make his NRL debut while enduring the rigors of challenging pre-seasons.
Having recently experienced his first pre-season with the Broncos, Talty's initial exposure to top-level play came while training with the Melbourne Storm during their 2025 pre-season.
"I was only saying this not too long ago, I don't think I'd get the opportunity to come up and play for Brisbane if I wasn't in Melbourne doing their preseason."
"They're very tough and gruelling as well. I had the opportunity to go to the Geelong camp when I was with Melbourne. You get a lot of experience out of them."
While most consider Round 1 as the season's start, Talty recognized the pre-season's pivotal role in shaping the overall campaign.
Every team faces the challenge of heightened toughness when training resumes, but Brisbane's coach, Michael Maguire, is particularly known for his rigorous pre-season training methods.