CAPTAINING your home-town club should be a moment a player cherishes for the rest of their life.
And, for Hull KR's Kris Welham, that feeling was very real after leading the Robins to a 23-10 win over Hull FC in the Good Friday derby.
Welham, and the whole of East Hull, felt on top of the world, as Rovers' 100th win in rugby league's only true derby had them looking up.
Three days later, though, that world had come crashing down following the devastating 84-6 loss at home to Wigan, the worst in the club's 131-year history.
It was a result which has led to something of a crisis at Craven Park, as chairman Neil Hudgell called the display a 'disgrace'.
Welham was one of a few to avoid the criticism, and actually won praise for 'running his blood to water'.
However, he admits he has taken Monday's loss hard, and is determined to start making amends to fans today.
"It has been one of the worst weeks of my career," Welham told the Mail.
"Nobody wants to be a part of these results in their careers. It's not nice and everyone was embarrassed and ashamed of the Wigan game.
"We know Wigan are a good side and maybe we were mentally still on a high from Good Friday and not fully focused.
"No matter what we say to apologise to the fans, nothing can make up for last week. The best way to say sorry and put things right is with a massive performance against St Helens.
"I think a win would go some way, and I really think we will win, especially after last week.
"Losing to Wigan in the way we did after coming off such a high from the derby has been hard. We had two days to review the video and now we've put it behind us."
After a week of inquests into what went wrong, and public criticism, moving on has been the message from coach Craig Sandercock.
He has the task of lifting the players for today's clash with St Helens at MS3 Craven Park and, in his role as a team leader, it is something Welham sees as an important part of his job at the club.
"As captain, vice-captain and coaching staff, it's our jobs to get the players up again and to focus on St Helens," he said.
"The best way to get everyone going again is to be smiling again.
"We would have definitely loved to play this Saints game the day after we lost to Wigan, so we had less time to dwell on the defeat and put it to the back of our minds."
So, the Wigan defeat consigned to history, what about the challenge of facing Saints?
Thankfully, history provides plenty of scope for optimism, as the last time the Saints marched out of East Hull with two points in Super League was back in 2007.
Rovers should also be boosted by the return of Cory Paterson, Dave Hodgson and Josh Hodgson, whilst Michael Dobson's inclusion in the squad would suggest he is winning his battle to play.
A fast start with a few early tries would be the ideal starting point, and that is what Welham is aiming for.
"A good start is the best way to get fans back onside," he said.
"Wigan scored a couple of tries early on and it proved too hard to stop them after that.
"Saints are another quality side and have got a new coach in Nathan Brown this year.
"They have brought in some new players but they are getting their structures right.
"They've changed their team about and I'm not sure if it's because of injuries that Jon Wilkin is playing in the halves, and Makinson full-back.
"Wellens was one of those players I remember watching when I was growing up.
"They've also got some good kids coming through into the team now which is why they're fourth in the table."
Fourth in the table – the place KR finished in 2009 – is a place which looks well out of reach for the Robins right now.
The focus this week is not on anything other than restoring pride, and putting some smiles back on the faces of the Robins faithful.
