Going up against your own club always evokes some strong memories, but it can also evoke some terse reception from fans of your former side – and for former Rabbitoh Chris Sandow, who is now at the Eels, he is prepared for the sledging he may receive, as he faces his former side this week.
Even Sandow admits that he came away from their last clash rather unscathed in the sledging sense, but the in-form halfback is ready for the heckling and jeering he is set to receive.
“They didn’t actually say much to me the first time around – the guys aren’t like that over there,” Sandow said.
“But I think this time, because we’re at the bottom of the ladder and they’re going into the finals, I’ll probably hear a few more things coming from them this time around.”
“It’s going to be tough up against the boys again. They gave us a bit of a touch-up last time, so hopefully we can give it back to them this time.”
With only two games left for the Eels in the season, as they cannot make the finals – with new coach Ricky Stuart’s plans to train until the end of September, Sandow is fine with that idea, even if it means travel plans for he and other players, is pushed back.
“I think it’s good, because instead of going away and getting fat, we’ll train right up until the grand final, which is good,” Sandow said.
“We’ll be training whilst the teams in the finals are, but we won’t be playing for anything. I think the boys who booked holidays a few months ago will have to cancel, but this is what the coach wants, so we’ll do it.”
“I was going back to Cherbourg [in Queensland], that’s all. Cherbourg can wait, it’s not going to run away. It’s important we start our time with Ricky on the right foot.