Towering Raiders prop Dane Tilse is hoping to keep his emotions in check for what will be his final game at Canberra's GIO Stadium against Melbourne on Sunday afternoon.
In what also double as his 200th game as a Canberra Raiders player, joining illustrious company in Raiders legends Jason Croker, Laurie Daley, Ruben Wiki and Alan Tongue among others who have cracked the double century. Tilse said it was starting to sink in he would leave the club, which will occur immediately after Canberra's Round 7 clash with the Wests Tigers.
"They were tough times earlier on in my career and I'm proud of how I've paved out my career here in Canberra and I pretty much consider myself a one-club man. I'm definitely Raiders through-and-through," Tilse said.
"It's starting to sink in now. On the bus on the way home from Albury last week, I started to think that it was one of the last bus trips I'd probably ever have.
"There's a bit of emotions involved there so I have to make sure I use that in the right way and play well for the Raiders."
Tilse, who will join former Canberra teammate Terry Campese at Hull KR for the next two-and-a-half seasons, went on to add he believes the Raiders are well on track to being successful and wouldn't have left if they weren't.
"If it wasn't for the leaders who have come into the group [I wouldn't have left] and there's a few quality players who started to show their worth on the weekend," Tilse said.
"The club is in good stead and I think they're only going to build from here."
Meanwhile, Raiders centre Sisa Waqa is on red alert for the man who took over from where he left off at the Storm this season in fellow Fijian Marika Koroibete.
Koroibete earned man-of-the-match honours for his starring role against the Warriors on Easter Monday thanks to his two tries and double century of metres and will no doubt be tough to contain yet again.
"I've been watching the Melbourne boys for the past few weeks and especially Marika, man he's been killing it," Waqa said.
"Last weekend he was able to get them out of jail against the Warriors. He went down to Melbourne midway through last year and it was a good opportunity for him and we talked about that when he did come down.
"He's still only young and everyone knows how talented he is and what he can bring to a team and it's finally starting to show."
Video courtest of Raiders.com.au
