At the back end of Newcastle's 14-12 win over Melbourne Storm on Sunday, Brailey and Crossland were both on the field together with the latter spending time at lock.

Crossland started the game and was brought off in the 53rd minute to allow Brailey to come on, but he returned in the 73rd minute and Brailey stayed on.

Albeit brief, their time on the field together could be a sign of what's to come.

Brailey, formerly Newcastle's primary hooker who at times previously played 80 minutes, was playing his first game in close to a year following a long-term knee injury.

With Knights coach Adam O'Brien likely to build the 27-year-old's minutes over coming weeks, Brailey said he didn't feel like he was in a "battle" with Crossland for the No.9 jersey, rather there was the potential for them to be deployed as a duo.

"I wouldn't say battle," Brailey said.

"I think we work really well together.

"We both bring something different to the side, and [with] both of our knowledge in the position that we've got, we can really be a point of difference and work as a combination in that middle third of the field if we spend some time together."

Having not featured for the Knights since rupturing an anterior cruciate ligament last April, Brailey said his lungs had been tested in his return appearance. "They were gone after the first set," he joked.

Aiming to "build over the weeks" and admitting to being "a bit rusty", he hopes to provide energy and direction for the side as an interchange player.

"For me personally at the moment, coming off the bench, I'm just trying to bring a spark," the 108-game hooker said.

"I've obviously got some fresh legs coming on the field and some tired bodies around me. I'm just trying to be a real spark for the boys, a strong voice and have some good direction. Phoenix is really solid defensively and he has come a long way with his craft out of dummy-half.

"When I come on, if he plays a little bit of lock, he will be able to recognise when I'm about to run and he can support me, and I can support him as well."

Another key positional switch O'Brien explored against the Storm was shifting veteran back-rower Tyson Frizell into lock when Adam Elliott was given a spell after 52 minutes.

Dylan Lucas came on for Elliott and went to Frizell's spot on the right edge.

The change meant the three out-and-out back-rowers Frizell, Lucas and new English recruit Kai Pearce-Paul were on the field at once. Lucas said it was a tactic, rather than a forced switch.

"That was the plan all week heading in," he said. "It seemed like it went OK."