Alex Twal will take a moment to think about his late father before he runs onto Leichhardt Oval on Saturday night.
This year the NRL's multicultural round will mean a little more for the Wests Tigers prop.
Twal's father Osama, better known as Sam, died after a brief battle with illness last September.
And while the 27-year-old has always felt he is representing his family, Twal will do so in an even more literal sense against Cronulla.
The front-rower proudly adorned the Jordanian flag at Tigers media on Wednesday, the country where his father was born and raised before moving to Australia at age 18.
Next to it sat the Lebanese flag, honouring his mother's heritage.
"It means so much to me," Twal said.
"I lost my father at the end of last year, so obviously this round and initiative to represent my Jordanian heritage of my dad ... it obviously means a lot to me.
"I represent them every week when I run out, but there's obviously a bit more emotion in this week. I obviously want to do him proud."
Twal has long credited his parents' work ethic as being behind his own approach to football.
And he wants his full heritage to be better known.
The prop has played four Tests for Lebanon while representing his mother's side, but is the only player listed in the NRL as being of Jordanian heritage.
And he wants to honour his father.
"He loved rugby league," Twal said.
"Obviously he didn't play too much overseas or anything growing up.
"But he did all the hard yards growing up, putting all the long hours, driving me to and from training. I obviously owe a lot to him.
"It's obviously a good opportunity for me as well just to be proud of it and embrace (my Jordanian heritage), and just embrace both my father's and mother's heritage."
Twal is also aware multicultural week also comes at a crucial time for the Tigers, after their first-up loss to Canberra last Saturday.
Twal is now the longest-serving player at the club after his 2017 arrival and is adamant the Tigers have taken a step in the right direction under Benji Marshall.
"If anyone knows the place, it's Benji," Twal said.
"We've just got to rip in and trust the process. The playing group has done a really good job of that.
"Obviously it didn't show too much on the weekend. But it's a long season.
"It's just about making sure that this week we put in a bit better performance and come off the field with something we can be proud of."
