Adam Blair has stacks of NRL finals experience, a precious commodity the Warriors intend trading on as they contemplate their first playoff game since the 2011 grand final.
But the man who has played 288 games at four clubs and played in four deciders had a strange admission at training in the countdown to Saturday's elimination final against Penrith at ANZ Stadium.
"I'm quite nervous to be honest," the second-rower said. "Maybe that's a good thing."
Nervous? Surely having won the 2009 grand final with Melbourne and reaching three other deciders – two more with the Storm (2006 and 2008) and the Broncos' heartbreaking loss to North Queensland in 2015 - you've got a handle on the big-game butterflies?
"I've played in a few and this one feels a little bit different for some reason. I think it's that bit of excitement," said the 41-Test veteran.
"I'm excited for the group and the people involved at this organisation [after the club's six seasons without September football]. But at the same time I just want to play well for the team and do my part.
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"I've played a few and the more you enjoy it and embrace it, the easier it is and the more enjoyable it is. If we have a smile on our face and we have our heads up high and we enjoy it and embrace this moment, we'll go really well," he said.
Like Blair, fellow second-rower Tohu Harris concedes things feel different this year.
"It's always going to be a bit different because you're around different people, around different experiences and things like that," said Harris, who will bring the agony and ecstasy of winning and losing grand finals with the Storm in 2016 and 2017 respectively to the table.
"It's just enjoyable seeing how excited people in the city and people in the club are. It's really refreshing and makes me really it excited. It pushes us to do a good job training this week and to put our best out on the field."
The Warriors might be on foreign field but Blair hopes for a big turnout of the club's not insignificant Australian support base.
Even if the atmosphere at ANZ Stadium turns hostile, Blair is confident the Warriors will cope thanks to little tactics like training with simulated crowd noises blaring from loud speakers this week.
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"It's going to be quite loud and the most important thing for our team is communication and making sure everyone is clear on what their roles are. Having a bit of music out there, loud noise, just helps," Blair said.
"Obviously everyone knows and everyone's excited about being here. The most important thing is what we can control and the simpler we play, the better we go as a group.
"We can create those moments where we have a bit of fun but we've got to do the hard work first."
