CROWD-pleasing winger Edrick Lee will be hoping to maintain an undefeated record against his former clubs when the Knights clash with Canberra at GIO Stadium on Friday night.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Lee made his NRL debut with the Raiders in 2012 and appeared in a further 66 games for them before linking with Cronulla in 2017.
He played in three games against Canberra while at the Sharks, winning each time.
Lee continued his 100 per cent success rate against ex-teammates in round one this season, sealing a 14-6 victory against the Sharks with a memorable intercept try at McDonald Jones Stadium.
"Obviously you have a relationship with them off the field, but ... there isn't any mates on the field," Lee said on Monday.
"It's just us against them. You're going out there just to do your part for the team, and just whatever it takes to get the win."
Lee said his charmed run against his old clubs was "something I don't look into".
"I'm just looking to put my best foot forward and perform each week, so I'll be looking to do that again," the 26-year-old said.
Lee will line up on Friday night against Kiwi international Jordan Rapana, who made a surprisingly swift return from off-season shoulder surgery in last week's 22-10 loss to Melbourne.
Rapana has established himself as one of the NRL's most prolific finishers, scoring 54 tries in the past three seasons, many of which have been set up by former Knight Joey Leilua.
"It's obviously a good thing to see him [Rapana] back from his shoulder reco, playing last week," Lee said.
"It will definitely be a good challenge, our left against their right edge. I'm just excited about the challenge ahead and looking to turn it around against a pretty fired-up Canberra team."
Lee followed his round-one match-winner against Cronulla with another try in last week's 16-14 loss to Penrith, but was left ruing a freakish James Maloney tackle that denied him a second four-pointer against the Panthers.
"He managed to get the strip," Lee said.
"I thought the ball was down, but he was there Jimmy to definitely do his bit. But the Panthers had more energy than us and we're looking to turn it around."
Another Knight with Canberra connections is bench forward Mitch Barnett, who played two NRL games for the Green Machine in 2015 before requesting a release to join Newcastle.
"I like coming up against them," Barnett said.
"There's a lot of friends there that I like seeing again, but they're just another side for me. We just have to go down there and do the job ... it's lucky we're getting them now.
"It's a bit cold down there now, but it gets a lot colder later in the season."
Knights coach Nathan Brown will name an extended squad on Tuesday, and back-rower Lachlan Fitzgibbon would appear in some doubt. Fitzgibbon was noticeably limping on Monday with what appeared to be a calf problem.