EXCITED - that is the word which best sums up how Zac Merritt is feeling ahead of the Western Rams' Presidents Cup match against North Sydney Bears on Sunday.
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It's a fitting word because the St Pat's captain-coach is excited for a whole host of reasons.
He will get to play his first game of football since the Group 10 pre-season knockout, he will be making his senior Rams debut at Carrington Park, Merritt will get to test himself against a club with a rich league history and he'll get to inspire his young Western team-mates.
It was the excitement of doing all of that which saw Merritt agree to join the Rams campaign when asked by Western Region manager Peter Clarke despite lacking match fitness.
"I thought they [Rams] were taking a bit more an approach of bringing the younger guys through. So when Clarkey approached me I was excited, but I hadn't been training real hard," Merritt said.
"I was a little bit 'Ahh I don't know mate' but I'm definitely excited to play, especially playing alongside people like Harry [Siejka] and those types of guys who have NRL experience. It will be good to have a run around with players like that."
While Merritt has long impressed at club level - he's not only led the way for the Saints but won a Group 11 premiership with Forbes - he has not previously played senior football for the Rams.
Merritt was meant to be part of the 2017 Rams senior side which played the Federation of Italia Rugby League Australia at Carrington Park, but injury ruled him out.
"I was meant to play, but I ended up getting injured and that was a fair few years ago, I think it was last time I was with Pat's," he said.
"When Dennis Moran was coaching I made the squad and was doing all the training and got injured, so I haven't played as a man, it's really exciting.
"I played juniors, both years of juniors, under Kevin Grimshaw. We actually won the whole thing for Western Division my first year of 18s under Kev, so it's exciting to be in first grade."
While currently winless after six games in the Presidents Cup, the Western Rams have tested their rivals.
They will be underdogs for Sunday's match with the Bears, but with the addition of Merritt, Orange Hawks half Willie Heta and Lithgow's Keelan Bresac, the Rams will have more experience.
Merritt also hopes his presence will take some of the pressure off the younger Rams forwards.
"I spoke to Camo [coach Cameron Greenhalgh] and I think he was looking for me to bring a bit of experience and a bit of go forward for these young fellas so they can play off the back of it," Merritt said.
"Instead of them trying to do all the tough sort of stuff, obviously I'm a bit more experienced than those younger boys, so they can use me up like that.
"I can get a bit of momentum going forward and then let Harry and Willie Heta play off the back of that.
"With these young fellas, with their fitness and speed, I'll let them do all of the pretty sort of work.
"I think he just wants my experience, to straighten the boys up and maybe a few off-loads here and there to move their pack around a little bit. We'll just play it by ear and see how we go."
As well as providing direction and metres, plus space for the Rams' back line to operate, Merritt hopes his presence can inspire his younger team-mates as well.
"I know myself as a young fella when I was playing and you had some older bloke who's been around a bit longer than you, has a bit more experience, once they roll the sleeves up and get stuck in and get dirty, it makes you feel more confident in yourself and understand 'right this is the way we're playing'," he said.
Confidence is one of the elements the Rams will need if they are to post their maiden Presidents Cup win. The Bears have lost just one game thus far and sit second on the cup ladder.
Still, rather than being intimidated about plating the Bears, it's that word excited which sums up how Merritt feels.
"It's unreal, I can't wait. As soon I knew I was playing I jumped on You Tube and was watching a few of their games, then Jason Taylor popped up, he's their coach. It made me even more excited to play," he said.
"It will be great to test myself against some of these young fellas who are coming through and looking to play NRL and getting coach by one of the best out there.
Kick-off at Carrington Park is 2pm and with the Western Youth League match between St Pat's and Orange CYMS (12.55pm) to act as a curtain-raiser to the main game.
