![Confidence: He's been maligned for much of his career but a far more relaxed Josh King is enjoying his footy and it's showing with his form off the bench in recent weeks as he bids to earn a contract extension at the club for next season. Picture: Getty Images. Confidence: He's been maligned for much of his career but a far more relaxed Josh King is enjoying his footy and it's showing with his form off the bench in recent weeks as he bids to earn a contract extension at the club for next season. Picture: Getty Images.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/barry.toohey/69e029f0-1cba-47c2-8cb9-c5a5cd743aa9.jpg/r795_0_4078_1924_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
A couple of seasons ago, Josh King would have had a thousand things running through his head - none of them positive - if he was coming off contract like he is right now.
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It was at a time when he was struggling mentally to deal with the abuse of fans on social media who were questioning his worth to the club.
It became a vicious circle for the young Knights prop. All the head noise and pressure he felt did nothing for his self-belief and his footy suffered as a result. So the abuse just got louder.
But like we said, that was then. Now? Well, the transformation in King between the ears has been immense. The self-doubt has been replaced by a quiet confidence and self-worth. He no longer doubts himself.
His whole outlook has changed. His footy career is still his priority but it doesn't consume him. No longer eats away at him.
And if he was still on social media, which he's not, he would have noticed the difference.
Silence! The keyboard warriors have dropped right off.
"That's nice to know," King says. "That stuff definitely used to get to me big time.
"I mean, you want the fans to like you and you want the fans to want you to be in the team. But getting away from all that is the best thing I've done. I think I've grown a lot as a player.
You want the fans to like you and you want the fans to want you to be in the team.
- Josh King
"When you're playing a bit, getting some game-time and being reasonably consistent, it takes a lot of pressure off the mental aspects of it as well and you are confident in your ability to go out there each week and perform.
"This season, compared to how I was going in previous years, I'm a lot more consistent now than what I was back then. It comes back to me and making sure my preparation is right. I know what I like to do before a game and that puts me in a good head space.
"After playing 50 odds games, I've had a lot of time to get that right and work out what works for me. I still think I'm getting better at that and growing each week.
"I just try to go out carefree and not have too much on my mind and just back my ability to play footy, to run hard and tackle hard."
Since getting a crack off the bench five weeks ago after biding his time waiting in the wings before then, King has done his best to be noticed for the right reasons and not the wrong ones.
His minutes have been limited but performance-wise, he has been building each week with his 25 minute stint in last weekend's bitterly disappointing loss to the Warriors his best under coach Adam O'Brien.
He says not thinking about footy and his future in it 24/7 has seen his consistency ramp up this season.
"I'm guilty of being a bit of an over-thinker which becomes a burden sometimes. I over-analyse things when I don't need to," he said.
"When it all boils down to it, it's a pretty simple game rugby league if you run hard and tackle hard and limit the errors. That's what I concentrate on and try and back it up with plenty of effort when I get out there to try and help the boys.
"But the big thing now is I don't think about footy full-time like I use to and that allows you to relax a bit.
"I've got some other stuff going on in my life. Obviously footy is a priority but there's also family and friends, I've got an electrical trade and I've got a house I'm doing little renovations on.
"It's not all about footy and that keeps me relaxed and confident and I can switch on when I need to. There's no doubt it's helped me."
And as for his career beyond the end of this season, well, King says he's not stressing over that like he would have a few years ago either.
"It is what it is," he says. "It's not easy for clubs making decisions around the roster.
"I'm hopeful of getting something but the best thing for me is to just keep trying to play consistent footy when I get my opportunities."
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