"I am ready to go out there an give it to him."
Phil Sami may have a long running friendship with North Queensland Cowboys winger Murray Taulagi but that doesn't mean he will be holding back come Saturday afternoon.
Sami and Taulagi share a bond from their time playing together in their younger years and will continue their battle in the latest installment of the XXXX Queensland Derby.
The Titans have started the year with two wins and with a bye in round 5, the opportunity for a '4-point' win isn't lost on Sami.
"We have a good opportunity to go up there and be 3-1 to go into the bye sitting well," Sami said.
"If we want to make the top eight and be a consistent footy side, that starts with this week and then we are flying into the bye round."
The Cowboys were the victor in the sides two meetings last year before they went on a run to finish in the top four, but Sami insists his side are not phased by the challenge of heading north.
"We don't really look into ground records too much, that is just outside noise," he said.
"The heat can be a challenge. It is real hot and obviously they are a good side, they were top four last year, so we know it is going to be a challenge on Saturday but we are up for it.
"Obviously it was hot last weekend against the Storm and we have been training in these conditions pretty much all pre-season, so we are ready for it.
"Completing our sets and obviously not leaking as many points as we did will be our focus.
"We have the attack side of things sorted, it is all about defence and we know we need to improve on that."
Speaking of his friendship with Tualagi, Sami said he was excited to go up against the rep star.
"I am real close with Muzza (Tualagi), so it is going to be a good day out for me and him," he said.
"We have a good laugh but at the end of the day it's not friends out on the field.
"I am happy for him with the year he had last year in playing for Australia and Queensland Origin but I am ready to go out there an give it to him.
"Growing up and playing footy together and both being from the Ipswich area we have played together a lot."
Asked how he thinks he can contain the Queensland star, Sami said it was more about limiting is chances.
"I don't think you can stop someone like Murray," he said.
"We have all seen how good of a finisher he is in the NRL but you just do your best to contain him."
