Desperate goal line defence is one thing, but is Emre Guler the 110 kilogram lucky charm the Canberra Raiders need to break their NRL premiership drought?
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The unheralded second-year prop laughs off his golden run since making his debut last year, losing just two games and forcing his way into a strong Raiders forward pack rotation.
The Raiders will be chasing their fourth consecutive win when they play the New Zealand Warriors in Auckland on Friday night.
Toppling the Warriors will all but guarantee the Raiders' return to the finals for the first time since 2016, with their eyes also set on securing a top-four spot for play-off security.
Guler will start on the bench again, like he has done most of his seven wins from nine games.
"It was obviously a bit of a slow start, but it's been good," Guler said.
"I had to work on a few things and improve on them in [NSW Cup] so when I play in the top grade it's good to put that out there.
"I think the more I play, the better I'll be. I don't know about being a lucky charm, but if I can do my bit off the bench then hopefully it can help the boys."
The Raiders have been entrenched in the top four for most of the season, marking a massive turnaround of the past two years.
It has put them on the cusp of just their second finals berth in the past seven years and there is a feeling Canberra can be a genuine premiership threat.
RAIDERS NEWS
The first challenge will be beating the Warriors, who are fighting for a top-eight spot, to end a brutal two month stretch that has included just two home games since the start of June.
The Raiders will play three of the last five regular season games in the capital.
Guler has been forced to patiently wait for opportunities this season, with Dunamis Lui in career-best form and the arrival of John Bateman and Ryan Sutton changing Canberra's forward-pack dynamic.
The 21-year-old has played the past three games, all wins of course, and credits extra sessions with former NSW and Australian prop Brett White with helping earn selection.
"I've been working closely with Brett White on my defence, fixing the little things I had to do. We're still working closely now," Guler said.
"It was just a bit of everything really. I've been watching the senior boys a lot on Brett has really helped me. I've picked a few guys' brains [to help me improve]."
NRL ROUND 2
Friday: New Zealand Warriors v Canberra Raiders at Mt Smart Stadium, 6pm.
Raiders: 1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 2. Bailey Simonsson, 3. Jarrod Croker (C), 4. Michael Oldfield, 5. Jordan Rapana, 6. Jack Wighton, 7. Aidan Sezer, 8. Josh Papalii, 9. Josh Hodgson (C), 10. Sia Soliola, 11. John Bateman, 12. Elliott Whitehead, 13. Joe Tapine. Interchange from: 14. Siliva Havili, 15. Emre Guler, 16. Corey Horsburgh, 17. Dunamis Lui, 18. Sam Williams, 19. Hudson Young, 20. Sebastian Kris, 21. Royce Hunt.
Warriors: 1. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 2. Gerard Beale, 3. Peta Hiku, 4. Blake Ayshford, 5. Ken Maumalo, 6. Kodi Nikorima, 7. Blake Green, 8. Agnatius Paasi, 18. Kyle Lawton, 10. Leeson Ah Mau, 11. Adam Blair, 12. Isaiah Papalii, 13. Jazz Tevaga. Interchange from: 14. Lachlan Burr, 15. Sam Lisone, 16. Bunty Afoa, 17. Chanel Harris-Tavita, 20. Josh Curran, 21. Adam Pompey, 22. Adam Keighran.