Joel Monaghan is ready for whatever diehard South Sydney supporters throw at him in his first game in Australia since leaving the Canberra Raiders.
But while the former Kangaroos and NSW winger is loving life in England, he has left the door open to exit the Warrington Wolves at the end of the year and rejoin the Green Machine for 2013.
Monaghan completed a light training run yesterday in the hope of recovering from a freak beach accident in time for Warrington's pre-season match with the Rabbitohs at Redfern Oval tonight.
He sustained swelling to his left knee earlier in the week after being dumped by a wave at Sydney's Coogee beach.
Monaghan has another three years to run on his contract with the English Super League club, but said he had an option to opt out of the deal at the end of this year.
That would allow the 29-year-old to return to the Raiders after departing the capital at the end of 2010 in the wake of the infamous Mad Monday prank, where he was photographed in a lewd act with a dog.
''I've got three [more years], but I think after [2012] I've got an option,'' Monaghan said. ''At the moment I'm playing in Warrington and loving it and playing with my brother [Michael Monaghan] which helps.
''I've always said that if I ever come back to the NRL I'd probably only come back to Canberra. At the moment I've got a contract here, but you never say never.
''Watching them play last year it was just as hard watching them lose as when we lost.
''All my closest mates are in Canberra.
''I miss the place, I miss the family and I miss all the boys.''
Despite his acrimonious departure, Monaghan proved his resilience by producing a stellar first season with Wolves.
His team-high 24 tries took the side to within one game of the grand final and earned the red-headed flyer selection in the Exiles representative team.
Monaghan was singled out for plenty of attention from fans - his own and those of the opposition - and expected similar treatment at the Rabbitohs' traditional base.
''We trained out there and had a couple hundred mad Souths fanatical supporters, which is the way they've always been,'' he said.
''I'm sure if I do play, I'll cop a bit of stick ... I can handle that pretty well. If I was on the other end of it I'd probably be giving me stick as well.''
The Wolves have been based in Sydney for the past three weeks ahead of the Super League season, completing gruelling sandhill runs and training alongside not only the Rabbitohs, but also the AFL's Sydney Swans.
Dual international Brian Carney, who has an off-field role with Warrington, predicted the Wolves would do everything in their power to convince Monaghan to see out the remainder of his contract.
''I don't think Warrington would want to let him go for quite a while,'' Carney said.
''Himself and [Wigan's] Pat Richards are the best attacking weapons in the league.''
Wolves captain Adrian Morley said Monaghan had shown great mental strength to become an integral part of the team.
''You know what the fans are like in the UK, every time he touched the ball they were making dog noises,'' Morley said.
''He made a joke of it in the end but he made a few noises back. He's put all his problems behind him and has been playing some terrific stuff for us.
''In a way the NRL's loss has been Warrington's gain.''
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