Tonga halfback Isaiya Katoa has declared his side will carry the pain of last year's loss to fierce rivals Samoa into Sunday night's blockbuster at CommBank Stadium.
The Pacific nations will renew their rivalry in Parramatta for the final game of the group phase of the IRL Rugby League World Cup.
Both sides are undefeated after the first two weeks of the tournament and a win will secure a spot in the semi-finals.
The match comes 12 months after Samoa claimed a comprehensive 34-6 victory in front of nearly 45,000 fans at Suncorp Stadium during last year's Pacific Championships.
Tonga XIII v Toa Samoa
The Tongans have carried the disappointment for the past year and Katoa is embracing the chance to turn the tables on Sunday night.
"We always look forward to playing Samoa," Katoa said. "They are like our brothers; whenever you're going up against your brother, you always want to get one up on them.
"We were really disappointed in how we performed last year. We are hoping to improve on last year's performance."
Match: Tonga v Samoa
Round 3 -
home Team
Tonga
2nd Position
away Team
Samoa
1st Position
Venue: CommBank Stadium, Sydney
Sunday's match sold out weeks ago, highlighting the surge in interest in international rugby league throughout the past few years.
Jason Taumalolo's decision to play for Tonga rather than New Zealand at the 2017 World Cup has long been viewed as the turning point and many more players have followed in his footsteps.
Outside backs Rob Toia and Jojo Fifita turned down the chance to represent Australia at this year's World Cup, while Katoa has also made clear his preference is to play for the Pacific nation.
The Red Sea rise for the Sipi Tau
"Heritage is a massive part of who I am," Taumalolo said. "I've always wanted to represent Tonga. I've represented the Kiwis, my place of birth, but that didn't feel like home for me.
"Putting on the red jersey, in my eyes is what home means to me. Playing for Tonga and its people is what matters most to me."
It's a feeling Katoa shares, the youngster proud to follow in the footsteps of Taumalolo and the nation's past leaders.
"There is a genuine love for our country, and I think that's the reason why those players wanted to come back and play for Tonga," Katoa said.
"They knew how much it meant to the fans and to their families."
A victory over Samoa on Sunday will send Tonga back to the World Cup semi-finals for the first time since 2017.
That remains one of the most memorable matches in international rugby league history, Taumalolo almost helping his nation pull off a stunning comeback against England at a sold-out Go Media Stadium in Auckland.
Tonga v England - Semi Final, 2017
Tonga avenged that defeat a fortnight ago when they toppled England in their opening game of the World Cup.
Coach Kristian Woolf is confident the 30-12 victory is a sign of things to come, the mentor eager to see his side prove they belong alongside the sport's traditional powers.
"There's no doubt Australia, New Zealand and England are still the tier one nations," Woolf says. "They're the biggest nations, they've got the biggest player pools and the best resources.
"Anytime we can play those guys, anytime we can beat those guys is a big thing. We only played Australia for the first time ever in 2018. That gives you a bit of an indication of how big a challenge there is.
"We're closing the gap, there's no doubt about that. Some of the wins we've had in the past certainly show that, so too have Samoa and some other countries. At this tournament we see ourselves as equal. We've got a big game to play this week, then we'll worry about [Australia and New Zealand] afterwards."
- Watch every match of the Rugby League World Cup live on Seven and 7plus Sport in Australia and on Sky Sport in New Zealand.
