Jamal Idris knows Canterbury fans have long memories. Which is why he also knows Jamie Soward will be public enemy No.1 when the Panthers take on the Bulldogs on Saturday night.
The reason dates back to a game between Canterbury and St George Illawarra at Kogarah in 2009, when Penrith pair Soward and Idris found themselves on opposite sides in a battle that would eventually have a huge say in the outcome of the minor premiership.
Soward's Dragons pilfered the win after the five-eighth claimed he had been obstructed when he ran theatrically into the back of Canterbury's Greg Eastwood during the build-up to what would have been a match-winning try by Idris for Canterbury.
The video referee controversially intervened to deny the touchdown in the dying seconds, ruling that Soward had been prevented from attempting a tackle on Dogs fullback Luke Patten before he sent Idris on his way over the line.
And Idris, who will line up with Soward against his old club at ANZ Stadium on Saturday night, said the Bulldogs fans haven't forgiven the former Dragons playmaker.
"They definitely don't like him. He'll be public enemy No.1, for sure," Idris said. "Bulldogs fans don't let anything go. Even that stuff with Sonny, that was years ago, something like five or six years ago but they still haven't let that go. Even now people are coming up to me saying, 'You shouldn't have left'. It was bloody four years ago. They talk like it's yesterday."
But it wasn't just the fans who were up in arms in criticism of Soward. The players were also filthy with the Dragons No.6. Hence a nickname in reference to his perceived ability to con the referee.
"The boys were pretty filthy and rightfully so when the shoe is on the other foot," Idris said. "They started calling him the Milkman. I remember it like it was yesterday. I remember cramping and struggling just to get over the line. You definitely laugh about it now.
"I remember after the game, because I've known Sowie since '07, he came up to me straight after the game and said, 'Sorry Jama, but you've got to do anything you can for the team'. I just said, 'Look, mate, at the end of the day you've got to do the right thing by your team and they've got to come first'."
But Idris hasn't let Soward forget what he did. He still calls Soward the Milkman, which is funny, given the club's major sponsor is Oak.
"We bring it up quite a bit, actually," Idris said. "When we're joking around or when we're at training, I'll bring it up. When he's doing something I'll tell him, 'what, are you going to do another Milkman act, are you?' We just have a good laugh about it now."
The much-maligned Soward is no stranger to verbal abuse from opposition teams. For one reason or another, the Panthers general comes in for more than his share of criticism, but Idris believes he's developed a thick skin and is now able to use it as motivation, as he did against the Roosters in the opening weekend of the finals series.
"He's always going to cop it, no matter who we play, every team and all the fans always hammer him because they see him as an easy target," Idris said.
"There was video from the game against the Roosters, and I think Freddy brought it up because from the refs camera you could see me laughing during a scrum. I was looking at Sowie and having a good laugh because the fans were screaming out 'Soward's a wanker'.
"He looked at me with a little smirk and I just looked at him and cracked up laughing. That's what you live for, that's what you play for. If the opposition fans are hating on you, that means you're doing your job right."
