If anybody knows the potential impact George Williams can have on the Telstra Premiership, it's a fellow player who has seen his rise to fame from the tender age of five.
Williams was announced as the latest blockbuster signing for the Canberra Raiders, with the English international signing a three-year deal from 2020.
It's now the fifth English star to make his way to the nation's capital following the success of Josh Hodgson, Elliott Whitehead, John Bateman and Ryan Sutton.
In fact, Sutton has been with Williams almost every step of the way through the junior ranks and the pair is ecstatic to be reunited on the other side of the world.
"You have professional players come to your school and then you say to your mates 'that's what I want to do' and I think that's exactly what we said to each other," Sutton said of growing up with Williams.
"It's always a dream of every kid."
Try of the week: Round 16
Known for his speed off the mark and the ability to play what's in front of him, Williams could make for a damaging duo with Jack Wighton in the halves for Canberra next season.
"I think he'll bring a different style of play, he's an off-the-cuff style of player and he brings a lot to every team he's been with," Sutton said.
"I can see him getting better and better and he'll improve him even more when he gets here.
"I've known him a long time and I've been texting him on and off the last few months but he's just a great bloke and he'll be a great player to have here."
Hodgson echoed Sutton's sentiments, with the English hooker seeing first-hand what the two-time Super League champion can produce as part of the national side.
"I think the game over here will really suit him, he's very quick and got a great kicking game especially his short kicking game," Hodgson said.
"He's just a great signing and probably the best halfback over there at the moment with how he's been playing, so it's a massive coup for us."
The long-time rumoured deal also locks in Williams for three years, giving coach Ricky Stuart potential stability in the halves alongside Wighton.
Aidan Sezer and Sam Williams have both performed well in the No.7 jersey this season and will both be out to show their wares in the run to the finals this season.
Co-captain Jarrod Croker too raved about the addition of Williams but quickly added the team had a tall task ahead of them this weekend as they travelled to WIN Stadium to take on the Dragons.
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With a relatively long turnaround for both teams' State of Origin stars, Croker is expecting a desperate Dragons to throw everything they have at Canberra in the hope of keeping their finals chances alive.
"They're going to be fired up, I thought they were unlucky against the Storm last week," Croker said.
"They really shaped up with a lot of players out and I am sure those Origin players will want to back up. They've got until Sunday from the game, so I am sure they will back up.
"They're powerful through the middle, they've got good halves and speed and power out wide so they're a strong side, so we have to be a lot better than what we were last week."
Croker was confident the team's poor passages of play were behind them, which has seen them give up healthy leads to Cronulla and Parramatta in consecutive weeks.
Tackle of the week: Round 16
"We looked at our overall performance, I don't think it was more that we gave up a lead, it was more how poor we performed from that 20-minute mark onwards," he said.
"We pointed the finger straight at the mirror and you look at yourself and your own performance.
"Every single player did that and everybody owned it and most of us weren't at our best.
"We copped it on the chin and we want to get better this weekend."
