Joe Vuna's first NRL game was against the Melbourne Storm and fittingly his first game back will again be against the Victorian side.
In 2018, Vuna made his NRL debut while playing for the New Zealand Warriors in the ANZAC clash against the Storm.
He played four NRL games in that season and was named in the Junior Kiwis squad in the same year.
At the end of 2018, Vuna pressed pause on his NRL career to go on a Mormon mission.
Three seasons later, after coming through the train and trial process on the Gold Coast, he will return to the NRL after being named on the bench for the Titans round 13 match.
The 22-year-old says it was important to him to take the time away from the game.
"For me as a little kid it has always been my dream to serve a mission," Vuna said on the Titans docu-series Building Titans.
"I grew up around a religious family and with my parents we always went to church every Sunday.
"That was my first dream as a kid, to get out and help the community in anyway I could.
"Making my parents proud and my family meant more to me than playing in the NRL.
"It was hard at the time to leave after debuting for the Warriors."
Vuna linked with the Titans in the pre-season and quickly impressed.
He's built his form over the first few months of the Intrust Super Cup with the Tweed Seagulls and once again will get his chance.
Lightning may not strike twice, but for Vuna, it'll likely feel like his debut all over again as he lines up for his return to the NRL against Melbourne.
