Cronulla winger Edrick Lee will get a shot at preliminary final redemption at AAMI Park
CRONULLA’S Edrick Lee will get a shot at finals redemption when he returns to AAMI Park for the first time since his ill-fated preliminary final against Melbourne in 2016.
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CRONULLA’S Edrick Lee will get a shot at finals redemption when he returns to AAMI Park for the first time since his ill-fated preliminary final against Melbourne in 2016.
The then Canberra winger was let down him by his hands on a number of occasions during the do-or-die showdown.
One crucial drop ball left every Raiders fan ruing what might have been.
With only eight minutes remaining and trailing 14-6, Lee was unmarked after the Storm’s Suliasi Vunivalu rushed out of the defensive line. A cut-out pass from Raiders fullback Jack Wighton reaches Lee but instead of crossing the tryline untouched, the winger dropped the ball.
A stoic Lee says he doesn’t think about that night too much and he hasn’t allowed himself to dwell on the ‘what ifs’.
But the softly-spoken winger hasn’t forgotten how he felt immediately after the siren and in and the days following the loss.
“I did feel a lot sadness, especially about that missed opportunity. I don’t think back to it now. I can only control what I can control,” he told The Daily Telegraph.
The towering winger says he is better equipped to deal with “big games” now that he is surrounded with experienced teammates who have helped guide his preparations for tomorrow night’s clash against the Storm.
“I had been at the club (Raiders) for five years and I hadn’t had the chance to play finals before. It was an entirely new experience. It’s my second time now and I’ve learned what needs to be done and how to prepare well for these matches. You put moments like that [in 2016] behind you and focus on the journey ahead,” he said.
After making his NRL debut for the Green Machine in 2012, that preliminary final would turn out to be the last time he played for the Raiders. He was released from the final year of his contract to join the Sharks.
In an unusual move, his release happened in late February 2017, meaning he spent the entire preseason training under Raiders coach Ricky Stuart before he moved to the Shire.
This year, with a full preseason under his belt at Cronulla, Lee has produced some impressive football and scored 12 tries from 18 games.
“I moved to the club a week before round one. I was just new and I had to find my feet. I didn’t know anyone from the front office to the coaches at training. I didn’t know anyone on a personal level or even their first names,” he said.
“But this year but I felt more confident within my surroundings and that made me confident in my ability and I’m grateful it is showing on the field.”
Lee’s form posses a selection conundrum for coach Shane Flanagan if Josh Dugan is cleared to play tomorrow night.
Both he and centre Jesse Ramien have been named on the right edge meaning one of them will likely make way for Dugan if he returns from a shoulder injury.
“There might be a few changes here and there but I'm yet to hear what the final back five,” Lee said.
“I would be disappointed [to miss out], but in saying that everyone has contributed throughout the whole year, whether it’s in the back five or the forwards. The whole squad has been a part of getting us to where we are now.”
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