They spent their childhood years running around with each other in the backyard, but Canberra Raiders cousins Edrick and Brenko Lee will finally play together for the first time when the side takes on Penrith Panthers at Canberra Stadium on Monday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
While Edrick has been a mainstay on one wing for the Raiders this year, Brenko has struggled to break into the side, forced to wait his turn behind Sisa Waqa, Jordan Rapana and Jeremy Hawkins.
Brenko has played four NRL matches at the Raiders – his most recent in round 21 last season. It hasn't been an easy journey for the 19-year-old, driving himself to the airport in 2013 to head back to his family home in Brisbane.
He was persuaded to stay in Canberra by Edrick, something Brenko said made it all the more satisfying to play on Monday.
"To look back now and to think that I was going to walk away ... I've come a long way," Brenko said.
"To now finally get a game in first grade again on Monday night, hopefully I don't get too emotional or teary, but I've definitely come a long way since then.
"This is why you want to play the game, you see family playing against each other at all sorts of levels, but not much family playing with each other.
"But from playing with him in the backyard back in the days and now to go on and play in first grade with him, it's emotional."
Their fathers played first grade together at Mt Gravatt and Rochedale in Brisbane, but Edrick and Brenko represented opposing clubs – Mount Gravatt and Logan Brothers – during their childhood.
Brenko wasn't sure whether the family would come down for the match, but said if they did make the trip to Canberra Stadium, the crowd would know all about it.
"We've got a big family, it would be a shock to see mum and dad come but for everyone to come down it would be awesome – it would be a loud stadium."
After a slow start to the season, Edrick has been one of the Raiders' most consistent outside backs in 2015, scoring 11 tries in his last 13 matches.
But he said it hadn't been easy making the transition from Brisbane to Canberra, saying he too had found the early years at the Raiders challenging.
"It was hard for us when we first came down here, he was living with one family and I was staying with another," Edrick said.
"It's a good thing now that we manage to live under the same roof. We can talk to each other now about each other's game ... there's been some nurturing along the way but Brenko does what he wants and is his own person."
Signed until the end of 2016, Brenko said he would take the rare NRL opportunity to show what he can do.
"I'm trying to stay calm, but I've got a point to prove to the boys and the coaching staff," Brenko said.
"I didn't have the best pre-season coming back a bit overweight and I need to show them I'm worth staying at NRL level.
"I'm quite humbled to stay at the club, the Raiders are a big thing back in Brisbane with guys like Mal Meninga coming down and playing here, so to be here just for another year is exciting."
MONDAY
NRL round 25: Canberra Raiders v Penrith Panthers at Canberra Stadium, 7pm. Tickets available at the gate or through ticketek.com.au
