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A heads up from Canberra Raiders legend Alan Tongue got the ball rolling and a wish to finish his carpenters apprenticeship sealed the deal. Superman is back and he'll be suiting up for the Belconnen United Sharks in the 2020 Canberra Raiders Cup season. Former Green Machine cult hero Shaun Fensom has moved back to Canberra following his NRL retirement and he'll continue playing with the Sharks. Belconnen president Darren Piercy said Fensom's return to the capital would be a massive boost not just for his club, but the competition as well. The 31-year-old's returning to where it all began - a 2008 under-20s premiership, two Mal Meninga Medals and 139 of 176 NRL games. He also played in the North Queensland Cowboys losing grand final in 2017, where he suffered an horrific broken leg. Fensom finished his career with a one-year stint with the Brisbane Broncos in 2019. Piercy was hoping Fensom would help end the club's recent struggles - especially given he'll link up with former Raiders teammate Glen Buttriss. Fensom also links up with Sharks coach Scott Logan, who was at the Raiders when Fensom's career was just starting out. The workhorse will be a huge boost for the Sharks in their bid to break a finals drought - because they don't come any tougher than the Camden export. Fensom is the type of guy that tries to play on after dislocating his elbow, or stays on the park after suffering a lacerated kidney which could have ended his career. The kind of footballer that tries to push through the pain of a torn anterior cruciate ligament. The sort of bloke that turns up to Raiders headquarters for a weights session a day after fracturing his arm. Now Piercy will put that toughness to work on and off the field - running out for the Sharks on the weekend, while working for him as a chippy during the week. "There was a bit of a rumour that Shaun was coming back to Canberra," he said. "So Alan Tongue, a friend of mine, was quick on to us to have a bit of a chat. "He also wanted to finish his apprenticeship and he's going to finish his apprenticeship with my company, so that was just a bit of luck I suppose." Fensom could also link up with another ex-Raider in Sam Mataora, who played for the Sharks this year. He's one of four recruits joining Belconnen alongside Nukurua Ngere (Queanbeyan Kangaroos), Sam Bramich (Gungahlin Bulls) and Seth Going (Canberra Royals rugby union). Fensom said his body, which has taken a hell of a battering throughout his career, was feeling the strongest it ever has. That's an ominous warning for the other forwards in the Canberra Raiders Cup. Especially given he's got one goal in mind. "The Sharks just missed out on the semi-finals last season, they're a club that's building and I want to come back and help out as much as I can and hopefully make the semis this year," Fensom said. "I'm excited. There's a little less pressure than playing professionally and you can enjoy footy a bit more and it'll just be good going out there on the weekend and running around." He almost had the perfect end to his career - but for some controversial refereeing decisions. The NRL gave Fensom a farewell on grand final day, when the Raiders narrowly lost to the Sydney Roosters. "I was in the stand and I was filthy with a few things that happened, but that's football," he said. "It would've been unreal for the boys to get a win. I caught up with a few of them at the hotel after the game and they were pretty shattered."

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