Former Wakefield and Catalans playmaker Sam Williams is excited about the opportunity to play alongside his English namesake George Williams for the first time in Canberra’s match against Melbourne on Saturday.
With five-eighth Jack Wighton joining Kangaroos prop Josh Papali’i and England hooker Josh Hodgson on the sideline through suspension, Williams will wear the No.6 jersey and partner George in the halves.
“We spend a lot of time together during the pre-season and you're always trying to get a spot in the first grade team but there haven't been many opportunities as a backup half over the last two years,” Sam said.
“It’s been a long wait but I’m really excited to get a chance to play with George as I think he’s a great player and he has been really good for this club.
“I’m obviously not Jack Wighton, he’s a pretty unique player, so I’m just going to try and bring my attributes to the game and hopefully that’s enough for us to win.”
At 30-years-of-age, Williams provides experience to a Raiders spine decimated by the loss of Wighton and Hodgson, as well as injured fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (neck).
Now in his third stint with Canberra, Williams has also played for Catalans in 2014 and Wakefield in 2017.
“My short kicking game and helping George with his kicking game are some of the things I want to try to do well, and hopefully I can contribute to a good win,” Williams said.
Despite Papali’i being sent off and Wighton sinbinned during the NRL’s crackdown on high shots last weekend, the Raiders managed their first win in six weeks against Canterbury and will be aiming to overcome a Storm outfit missing five-eighth Cameron Munster and hooker Harry Grant.
English prop Ryan Sutton has been named on the interchange bench after missing last weekend’s 20-18 win over the Bulldogs with an elbow injury.
Melbourne are sitting in third place behind Penrith and Parramatta, while the Raiders enter round 11 two points out of the top eight.
The round began on Thursday with North Queensland beating Newcastle 36-20 in Townsville.
The Warriors, who have announced that they will remain in Australia for the rest of the season because of uncertainty about travel to and from New Zealand due to COVID-19, meet Wests Tigers in Gosford on Friday ahead of the local derby between Cronulla and St George Illawarra at Kogarah.
Gold Coast host Canterbury on Saturday, while Brisbane travel to Sydney to take on the Roosters and the Raiders face the Storm.
South Sydney welcome back Latrell Mitchell for their clash with the unbeaten Penrith Panthers in Dubbo on Sunday, while Manly and Parramatta complete the round at Bankwest Stadium.
