A fresh-faced Tom Wright stumbled off Brookvale Oval with his head hung low as the Sydney Roosters dealt a thrashing in what would become his final NRL match.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The rugby league convert has gone from crumbling under the Boyd Cordner-led Roosters to taking on the Sydney Rays in the National Rugby Championship.
Wright will have his first chance to beat a Sydney club when the Canberra Vikings clash with the Rays at Viking Park on Saturday.
But before he pulls on his Vikings jersey he has a justified warning for the Canberra Raiders: They're ruthless.
"The match against the Roosters was probably one of the toughest games I've played," Wright said.
"They're a resilient side and are scattered with immense talent. They won't give you much - everything you've got against them you have to really earn. They make you pay for your mistakes.
"It'll be a challenge going up against the reigning premiers, but if there's anyone who can give the Roosters a bit of trouble it's probably the unpredictability of Canberra."
MORE CANBERRA SPORT
The former Manly Sea Eagles player has jumped aboard the Raiders bandwagon and joined more than 26,000 fans at Canberra Stadium for their semi-final clash last week.
"It was unreal. Hopefully we can get a crowd like that at some point next year for the Brumbies," Wright said.
"The whole town is behind them that's for sure. They'll look into each other's eyes in the change rooms before they run out knowing the town has waited 25 years to win the competition again."
As the Raiders prepare to break their 25 year premiership drought, the Canberra Vikings are looking to secure a spot in the NRC finals.
Only six points separate second and sixth on the ladder as teams stake their claims for a finals finish with only two matches remaining of the regular season.
A loss against Sydney would put the Vikings in a must-win scenario for the final round against a strong NSW Country outfit.
"We consider it a must win for us, especially playing in front of our friends and families," Wright said.
"We took a lot of confidence having three home games to finish. That's the most ideal scenario for the team going into the finals."
Wright will start on the right wing while Toni Pulu has been rotated to the bench, giving Mack Hansen an opportunity to wear the No.11 jersey.
The Sydney Rays have only won one match so far this season but toppled Queensland Country in the third round.
Nick Scrivener's side are focused on backing up last week's strong performance against Fijian Drua and will use the match as a stepping stone to secure a home semi-final.
"We're really focused on backing up a good response given the table is tight. This game in particular is important," Scrivener said.
"This is a stepping stone for us. We had a response last week and we're in the mix [for finals] but now we've just got to get on with it.
"Sydney have got strike power and we're well aware that if we're not playing well then we'll get done.
"They wacked Queensland Country - they're a formidable side if you give them access into the game and don't play well yourself."
NRC ROUND SIX
Saturday: Canberra Vikings v Sydney Rays at Viking Park, 12pm.
Vikings: 1. Bo Abra, 2. Connal McInerney 3. Angus Wagner, 4. Darcy Swain, 5. Nick Frost, 6. Pete Samu, 7. Will Miller, 8. Rob Valentini, 9. Joe Powell, 10. Bayley Kuenzle, 11. Mack Hansen, 12. Irae Simone, 13. Len Ikitau, 14. Tom Wright, 15. Tom Banks. Reserves: 16. Lachlan Lonergan, 17. Fred Kaihea, 18. Tom Ross, 19. Blake Enever, 20. Angus Allen, 21. Ryan Lonergan, 22. Toni Pulu, 23. George Morseu
