On Saturday afternoon, the 23-year-old second-rower will face Canberra away for the first time since his NRL debut; with the pain and lessons of his travails over the past three years providing plenty of motivation.
First came that match in Canberra in August 2020, a 36-8 drubbing at the hands of the Raiders.
In his first season in the top grade the Broncos claimed the wooden spoon for the first time and Riki went winless in the five games he played.
Another driving force, and the one most raw in the forward's mind, is Brisbane's late-season collapse in 2022, during which they lost five of their last six games to miss the finals.
Coach Kevin Walters stewed over that slump and he wasn't alone.
"It really burnt us all that we missed out (on finals) last year. We really want to give it a red-hot crack this year," Riki said.
"Day one of the pre-season Kevvie let us all know that it burnt him all off-season.
"It was the first thing said when we got back, because we felt we should have been there (in the finals) but we let that slip out of our own hands.
"We are all just really excited to get into the finals and ... prove to the world and the teams that we are here to play.
"We want to rip in and take (the premiership) out and I really believe we have got the team to do it."
This season, the Broncos are flying high in second position on the ladder but back in 2020 their campaign ended in disarray and with the unwanted spoon.
"It was a difficult year," Riki said.Â
"We as a club and organisation were not in the position we needed to be but we are far better off now.
"I definitely got some thick skin. When I came over (from New Zealand) I was a bit more sensitive than I am now.
"I am grateful that I went through that at a young age. I took a lot of lessons out of it."
His NRL debut was a much different occasion to the one he had imagined - in more ways than one - but Riki is aiming to consign that all to history with a win against the Raiders on Saturday.
"Growing up I always thought my family would be there, and a packed-out crowd," he said.
"Because it was COVID there were no crowds and my family wasn't there but they all got together back in New Zealand.
"We didn't come away with the win on my debut so I am really looking forward to trying to come away with the win in Canberra."
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