The war of words has already begun as Sunia Turuva and Jarome Luai come face-to-face against their former Penrith Panthers teammates this week on Sunday after departing the club at the end of last season.
Close friends on and off the field with most of the Panthers players, the Wests Tigers duo are looking to get the wood over the former club and get back to their winning ways after three consecutive losses to the Cowboys, Rabbitohs and Melbourne Storm.
Days away from battling it out at CommBank Stadium on Sunday, the banter has only just begun.
"He [Brian To'o] already started it as soon as he got off the field against Parra," Turuva said ahead of the highly-anticipated match against his former teammates.
"He messaged me (and) already tried to play mind games, sending photos from last year of me in the Penrith jersey.
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"He's trying to tell me not to forget where I came from. Yesterday he said if they score on me this week, he's going to bring me into their celebration.
"I'm very excited...myself and Romy [Jarome Luai] were talking about it all the time at the start of the year, and then next thing you know, it's already Round 14."
While the Panthers had one of the best matches of the 2025 NRL season last week against the Parramatta Eels, the Tigers will welcome several players back from injury.
Jeral Skelton and Latu Fainu have made their way back into the side from the sidelines. Meanwhile, Charlie Murray and Kit Laulilii will play their first matches of the season - the former will make his debut.
"He's been wanting to come back for a couple of weeks now so it's really exciting to have him back," Turuva said on the inclusion of Skelton.
"What he does in the back field for us with his yardage carries, it's really exciting and important for us especially against a team like Penrith.
"His carries will be massive for us."
