MARK Cantoni was driven through the hellish heat of a Far Northern summer by the memories of what he describes as his worst feeling in football. 

Almost six months ago to the day, Cantoni and his Pride teammates were shattered by their Queensland Cup grand final loss to the Sunshine Coast.

But tonight, they get the chance to avenge that loss when the Pride hosts the Sea Eagles in the Cup opener at Barlow Park.

Pictures: Northern Pride 2010

While a win will not change the result, it will exact a measure of revenge for the Pride players, who have been driven through the pre-season by the frustration of getting so close to a premiership.

"You can’t (get that day back) but it was pretty devastating losing that final," Cantoni said. "If we could win, it’d go a long way to making it feel a bit better but it still can’t replace it."

Cantoni, who enters the season in great form after his first operation-free off-season in two years, admitted he had been haunted by the grand final disappointment.

"I think that’s what drives you any season, trying to win a premiership, but since we got so close we know we can do it and hopefully we can do it this year."

Second-rower Cantoni is a member of a Pride pack relishing the challenge against a massive Sea Eagles line-up.

With Manly squad members Joe Galuvao and Matt Cross believed to be heading back to the NRL club’s feeder side, the challenge has been ratcheted up another notch.

"They’ve got a very big pack like they did in the grand final and we’ve just got to match them and take the game to them," Cantoni said.

"They’ve got a very good halfback in Trent Hodkinson, I think he’ll play a fair bit of (NRL) first grade this year and if we stop him we’ll go a fair way to stopping them."

The Pride struggled to match the Sea Eagles’ size in the grand final and was dominated by the Coast’s pack.

Coach David Maiden has worked to beef up his big men in the off-season, while the addition of former NRL front-rower Jaiman Lowe has added necessary starch.

But with most of the forwards entering their third year together, continuity will also be a key.

"A lot of us should know each other’s game by now, the bulk of us have been playing together for a couple of years now," Cantoni said.

He insisted Pride’s backline could not shine if the forwards did not make inroads.

"Unless we hold them in the middle and punch a few holes in them, the backs can’t do their job," he said.

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