Twelve months ago Pat Keen had to watch on from the sidelines as Pirates inflicted more grand final misery on his Walcha team-mates.
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Involved in the Rams' two previous grand final losses, the Country centre didn't pull on the red and white last season instead plying his trade with Easts in the Shute Shield competition.
But he was there to see Pirates run the Rams down from 24-19 to win by two.
"It was a hard one to watch in the last 10 minutes, for sure," he said.
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"But they had a good season last year, they build pretty well there and the coaches did a good job getting everyone to gel, and it's helped a lot this year."
On Saturday he will line up at outside centre as the Rams look to turn their grand final fortunes around and inscribe their name on the symbol of New England supremacy - the Sawers Shield - for the second time (they won it in 1953).
As a few of the Rams are, Keen is no stranger to the New England competition.
After coming back from Brisbane to help run the family's cattle property at Guyra, he played with the Ghosts' second grade in 2016. Incidentally they made the grand final that year but were beaten by St Alberts
The following year he linked up with the Rams, and has become a key cog for them.
The decision to play in Sydney was two-fold.
The footy side was he wanted to see what the quality was like and how he stood up in that environment. But it was also about just having a bit of time away.
Playing mostly third grade, and a bit of second grade, he took a lot away from it, especially training with the likes of Kurtley Beale and Jack Maddocks and the club's other Super Rugby players when their commitments allowed.
"There was just so much talent getting around just in one club, it was good, it makes you work a bit harder and put the effort in," he said.
He said it would have been good to do another year or two, but is happy to be back playing with the Rams again.
It has been a pretty seamless transition with a lot of familiar faces, and he has enjoyed slotting back into what is regarded as one of the best backlines in Country rugby.
"It's been good," Keen said.
"Having [Ed] Churchill back at fullback for a while (he is out with injury), he's just got so much experience, and I think we've taken a bit more responsibility off Simon (Newton), which he's liked. And Dom's (Bower) stepped up a fair bit."
The forwards too have "really been working hard" and been strong for them.
Keen has also enjoyed getting to play alongside older brother Charlie.
"I've played a few games here and there with him but to have the whole season been unreal," he said, adding that Charlie has "been playing really well".
The Rams have met grand final combatants the Harbour Knights just once this season, the two sides playing out a 31-all draw.
"I think Coffs will have a few things up their sleeve to sort of surprise us but it should be a good day out," Keen said.
TEAMS
Walcha: 1 Richie Hunt, 2 Sam Colwell, 3 Henry Leslie, 4 James Ashleigh, 5 Sandy Cameron (C), 6 Henry King, 7 Thor Crombie, 8 Wally Davidson, 9 Angus Mactavish, 10 Jack Ticehurst, 11 Charlie Keen, 12 Simon Newton, 13 Pat Keen, 14 Ed Cordingley, 15 Dom Bower, 16 Ross Fletcher, 17 Joel Ballon, 18 Tom Wake, 19 James McLean, 20 Sam Agar, 21 Troy Yarnold, 22 Lachie Fletcher, 23 Ben Makeham. Coaches - Hyde Thomson & Barry Hoy
Harbour Knights: 1 Jesse Kirkman, 2 Andrew Martyn, 3 Matthew Potts, 4 Joel Cooper, 5 Maurice Stokes, 6 Peter Uikelotu, 7 Angus Hickey, 8 AJ Gilbert (C), 9 Max Hartmann, 10 Michael Hart, 11 Oscar Edwards, 12 Timothy Anderson, 13 Tyran Stevenson, 14 Michael Spinolgio, 15 Stuart McVicar, 16 Alex O'Donnell, 17 Carter Hoy, 18 James Bellamy, 19 Josh Cockbain, 20 Mackenzie Davidson, 21 Jack Canning, 22 Darcy Collins. Coaches - Brendan Hoy & AJ Gilbert
