Edrick Lee says running out for the Sharks after five years at the Raiders was ‘strange’

HE wore nothing but lime green for five seasons and thought he would do the same in 2017, but even Edrick Lee thinks being whisked off to Cronulla is a bit ‘strange’.

Edrick Lee says he’s happy at new club, the Sharks. Picture: Gregg Porteous

ONE of the unusual parts of the opening round of any season is seeing recruits throwing on new colours for the first time.

Robbie Farah, once black, gold and white, is now cardinal and myrtle and for the first few weeks that’s going to be weird as hell. James Tamou won’t look quite right all in black just yet.

It’s strange for the fans, but also for the players. Edrick Lee wore nothing but lime green for the past five seasons and thought he would be doing so again in 2017, so it was a little odd when he was whisked off to Cronulla to make Sharks debut in the season opener against Brisbane on Thursday.

“I was more excited, once I signed and for the first couple of days” the 24-year old said.

“A couple of days into training it was a bit strange but a lot of the boys made the transition easier, more welcoming.

PLAYER RATINGS: ‘What was he thinking?’

MATCH REPORT: Party over as Sharks learn tough lesson

FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED: $6 million man will be Hunted

Edrick Lee in action for his former side, the Raiders. Picture: Gregg Porteous

“It was strange but as the sessions went by and the boys got more welcoming it went really well.”

There are few NRL locations more different than Cronulla and Canberra and few teams more different than the Raiders and the Sharks.

For Lee, the biggest change is the temperament.

The Raiders are filled with young blokes who, let’s face it, are a little bit crazy. You can’t attack the way they do and not be at least kind of wild.

But the Sharks? Lee says they’re cool as the other side of the pillow.

“There’s a lot of the older boys here and you can see that through their leadership. Not taking anything from the Canberra leadership group, but the elder group, the leader group, guys like Luke Lewis and big Paul Gallen; it’s their leadership (that’s the difference).

“Behind the line they’re not too frantic, they’re calmer and they get you through it.

“They’re a bit steadier and they know the situations and the outcomes that happen in a game, that’s probably the biggest difference.”

In one of those twists that only happen when sport gets good or movies get bad, Lee will face his former teammates next week when the Sharks travel to the nation’s capital.

Edrick Lee says he’s a ‘Sharkie’ now. Picture: George Salpigtidis

Lee’s not much of a footy watcher, but he will tune in to see the Raiders open their season against the Cowboys on Saturday.

“I guess I will have a glimpse, after all it is a bit strange — I did the pre-season there and only had the one week here.

“I’ll support them for the first round but in my head now I’m a Sharkie.

“My main focus is just to get to know the players here and my combination on the right edge with Jack Bird, Luke Lewis and young Chad Townsend.

“I’m more worried about my team and not looking anywhere else at the moment.”