If patience was a church, Matt Frawley would be its patron saint.
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The Raiders half will play just his third NRL match in three years on Thursday when he deputises for injured five-eighth Jack Wighton, looking to pick up where he left off two weeks ago when he helped steer Canberra to a shock win over Manly.
Since signing a development contract with the Raiders at the end of 2019, after stints at Canterbury and in England with Huddersfield, the West Belconnen junior has forged a reputation as one of the club's hardest workers.
He won the Geoff Caldwell welfare and education award at last season's Mal Meninga Medal ceremony, and alongside veteran half Sam Williams, has spent countless hours training with the Raiders top squad behind the scenes.
Frawley and Williams have played plenty of lower grade rugby league together this season, and will resume their partnership against the Eels as the club chases a third-straight win for the first time in 2021. It's a combination coach Ricky Stuart was more than happy to call upon.
"Over the last year and a half they've had a lot of scrimmage work together," Stuart said.
"Last year when the boys couldn't play, the NSW Cup boys didn't get football, there was a lot of scrimmage work they had preparing our NRL team. Him and Frawls do have a good combination because of that work they've done on the training field."
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Frawley's deft left boot played a major role in helping the Raiders down Manly two weeks ago, but he dropped back to the extended bench last weekend when Jack Wighton returned from State of Origin duty.
The 26-year-old had to draw once more on his seemingly endless reserves of patience, and this time only had to wait one match before a rib injury to Wighton earned him another call up.
Just how long Frawley stays in the side this time around will be left up to Wighton.
"We'll give Jack the right of say there in regards to where he's going to be fit," Stuart said.
"Matty Frawley's fit in there very well against Manly and he's fitted in very well again this week. We're very fortunate to have experienced cover there."
Meanwhile, Raiders young gun Xavier Savage has flown back to Canberra and will undergo shoulder surgery on Thursday night to repair the AC joint he injured against Cronulla.
"It was important for his age to get the surgery done in the first week, that was the medical advice so that's what we've done," Stuart said.
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
