For Parramatta to exorcise their finals demons, star prop Junior Paulo must conquer the club that saved him.
The Eels forward spent two and a half seasons with Canberra from 2016 to 2018 in between stints with the blue and golds and credits his time in the capital with saving his career.
But with Parramatta and the Raiders facing off in Friday's sudden-death semifinal as the Eels look to march on to week three for the first time since 2009, old allegiances must be put aside.
"Part of that road trip down the highway to Canberra was all part of me helping myself grow up away from the footy field," Paulo said.
"It put me in the position I'm fortunate to be in now, if I didn't make that move I'm probably not here.
"When you play against your former club, you don't like to lose those ones. The situation we're in, it's do or die. You can't afford to have any regrets."
After debuting in the NRL in 2013, Paulo ran into a string of off-field dramas midway through his career, including a road rage incident, breaching NRL rules by playing fourth grade club rugby union, and earning a warning from New South Wales police for consorting with known criminals.
That's when he hit the road for the Raiders after being signed by Ricky Stuart, who handed Paulo his Eels debut during his sole season coaching the club, before Paulo began his journey to becoming one of the NRL's best front-rowers.
He claimed the Mal Meninga Medal as the club's player of the year in 2017 before returning to Parramatta two years later where he's gone on to represent New South Wales before assuming the Eels captaincy this season.
Upon arriving in the capital, Paulo noticed Stuart had mellowed from his Eels days but is sure his former mentor will be especially hell-bent on continuing Canberra's finals run come Friday.
"It's stressful when you're away from family. Ricky moved backed to Canberra and was able to set up with his family all down there," Paulo said.
"It definitely makes it a lot easier, and Ricky will be looking forward to this battle knowing it's Parramatta."
Paulo himself holds the fate of the game in his hands. Canberra's upset victory over Melbourne was built on the back of their own props, Josh Papalii and Joseph Tapine.
With Tapine hitting the best form of his career this season, and Papalii well established as one of the top front-rowers in the league, Paulo and fellow prop Reagan Campbell-Gillard must get a handle on the Raiders duo if the Eels are to progress.
"It's a battle of the middles. Both teams love attacking through that middle. It's rising up to that challenge," Paulo said.
"Tapine's been outstanding. He's been a real leader, and you could see that the time I was down there with the traits he had away from the footy field."
Paulo played with both Tapine and Papalii in his Canberra days, and will pack down with Papalii again in Samoa's World Cup squad at season's end.
While Tapine's rise has been a surprise to some, Paulo says he always knew the New Zealand international was capable of such brilliant football.
"It doesn't (surprise me), because we knew how good a player he was," Paulo said.
"He's really found that consistency, and for us we have to be able to stop him because they've been playing good football off the back of the platform he's been laying."
Canberra's middle rotation copped a blow with lock Adam Elliott ruled out for the season with osteitis pubis.
Englishman Ryan Sutton will make a shock return off the bench for the Raiders after a finger tendon injury was initially thought to end his 2022 campaign.
