Ryan Sutton could easily have kicked stones after missing the Canberra Raiders' final three games of the season.
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It might not sound like much, but they were the Green Machine's three biggest games in the past 25 years. Including a grand final.
Instead, the Raiders prop will use it as a kick up the arse. And he'll use his first England camp to ensure it never happens again.
Sutton's part of Wayne Bennett's World Cup 9s squad, with the two-day competition kicking off at Parramatta Stadium on Friday.
He's using the opportunity to make himself a better player. Working with one of the best coaches in the game.
The 24-year-old looked at home in his first NRL season after making the move from English Super League club Wigan.
He played every game of the regular season - except the four he missed due to a calf injury - and looked set to be part of the Green Machine's finals campaign.
But he was a shock late omission from the Raiders' qualifying final win over the Melbourne Storm, with coach Ricky Stuart opting to bring Emre Guler onto the bench instead.
Guler never let his chance go.
Watching from the stands stung Sutton, but he's using that to fire his 2020 season.
"Missing out on those last three games and the grand final it's really given me a kick up the arse," he said.
"I've obviously learnt a lot this year and played 20 games for the Raiders, which was great, but it's really given me an incentive to push forward now.
"I've got my foot in the door. I'm ready to take that next step. Keep the consistency up because a big part of last year for me was being inconsistent.
"I'm going to work tirelessly through the off-season and the pre-season to come back to be the fittest and best I've ever been.
"And make sure that doesn't happen again because those three games are probably the most upset I've been the whole of my career."
What better place to start than a call-up for the England 9s.
He's been part of national development squads before, but this is his first senior one.
Sutton wasn't part of the Great Britain Lions squad to play Tonga and New Zealand, but that's his next goal.
Instead he'll go home and catch up with friends and family - and his dog.
"I need to prove that I am ready to be an international player," Sutton said.
"The nines concept is going to be a real insight into that. Just being in camp with the boys and with Wayne, who's a really knowledgeable coach and I'm hoping to learn a lot off him in the future if I can have a good year with the Raiders next year."
Sutton hasn't played nines before, but was expecting a showcase of rugby league, with plenty of pace and skill on display.
He felt the tournament could be anyone's, but he was confident England had a good mix and would be in the mix as well.
His inclusion has allowed him to catch up with soon-to-be-Raider George Williams, who he grew up with back in England.
They played in two Super League premierships together at Wigan and are mates off the park as well.
He expected Williams to excel in the NRL.
"He's a real smart player. He plays what he sees and I can't touch on it too much because he's got to say a lot of it himself," Sutton said.
"But from what I see he's just a smart player. He's got a really good work ethic, he's really fast, he's got a good short kicking game.
"He's just everything you want in a half and I think he'll do really well when he comes over."