Kyle Flanagan scored 198 points in 20 games before being shown the door by the Sydney Roosters last year, so coach Trent Robinson understands he might have some lingering hurt to expel.
The 22-year-old halfback will face Robinson and his ex-Roosters teammates on Saturday night for the first time since he was cut loose with a year to run on his deal.
Flanagan's second year of first grade has also been a difficult one, being benched in a game and then dropped by Bulldogs coach Trent Barrett before making his way back into first grade.
But as to whether he has a point to prove or not, the stakes are high for both teams as they look to bounce back from horror losses.
"I could imagine so, I could imagine there was a bit of hurt there and I understand that," Robinson said of Flanagan, who will wear the No.6 against his ex-club.
"But whether it's us or them, we're tying to improve the footy we're playing. The motivation is quite clear on either side."
The Bulldogs have been refreshed with the return of players stood down for a COVID-19 breach last week and will be desperate to dish up a better showing than the 66-0 thumping they copped against Manly.
But preparations have been disturbed for the Roosters coming off a 46-0 loss to Melbourne with two squad members, Fletcher Baker and Brad Abbey, forced into isolation and forcing changes to the training schedule.
Both were deemed close contacts of a COVID-19 case, and although they did not break the NRL's biosecurity rules, it comes as a hazard of living and working in Sydney's east.
"We missed a couple of days at the start of the week," Robinson said.
"We're allowed to continue to work, it's the difficulty of living with a hotspot and guys going about their normal lives, living in the place they're living or going to a shopping outlet to get some food.
"That's our bode at the moment so it's thrown us out a little bit.
"But the guys have come in hungry to train when we got back on the park."
