For Lance Hohaia, making a NRL grand final tastes sweeter the second time around.
The Warriors utility is the sole survivor from the club's only previous appearance in a premiership decider – in 2002, when they lost to a Brad Fittler-skippered Sydney Roosters 30-8.
Then, Hohaia was a 19-year-old in his rookie season and starry-eyed at the hype surrounding the season's biggest match.
On Sunday, when he runs out against Manly at ANZ Stadium in Sydney, the 28-Test Kiwi will be one of the old hands, his 184 appearances making him the longest serving player in the Warriors' present squad.
"I'm over the moon that I've got another chance to play the grand final," he said.
"I guess I'm going to appreciate it a little bit more this time because it's taken 10 years for it to come around again."
Hohaia, 28, says the difficulty and the rarity of making the season finale will be something he will impress on his younger teammates during the build-up.
"People can go through their entire careers without playing in one, so just look forward to it, enjoy it as much as you can."
As he did against the Roosters nine years ago, Hohaia is likely to come off the bench against the Sea Eagles.
He started his career in the halves, but his versatility means he has been used in various positions in the backline, as well as at hooker.
He began this season in his incumbent Test position of fullback, but was among a group of players dropped after the Warriors' 0-3 start.
Injuries meant he was used again at the back before Kevin Locke made the No.1 jersey his own with some stellar performances after being given his chance.
Locke's rise has meant Hohaia has been operating as dummy-half cover, as he did against Melbourne on Saturday night.
He believes the Warriors' greater desire was the key to their epic preliminary final victory over the Storm, whom they kept scoreless during a dominant second half.
"They're a great side, they're the minor premiers, but I think we definitely wanted it more than them," he said.
"It showed in our defensive attitude and the way we backed our ability to score tries."
Hohaia will be in the British Super League next year with St Helens, where he will get to play in his preferred role of halfback.
His impending departure has meant the past three weeks has been a roller-coaster ride as he wondered when his last Warriors match would be.
Now that he knows, he's rapt with the symmetry of his Warriors career starting and ending with a grand final.
"I came in on one and it's nice to finish on one," he said.
"Hopefully we can turn the result around this time."
