New Zealand Warriors coach Ivan Cleary is under no illusion that his side's first NRL game of the season couldn't be much tougher.
Cleary's side heads to the Gold Coast where it will take on the Titans on Sunday afternoon in what is expected to be an extremely hot match under the Queensland sun.
With the Titans having only lost two home games in 2009, the Warriors will have to pull all the stops if they want a chance at some early points.
"It's definitely a tough start for sure," said Cleary. "The Titans are very hard to beat up there and I'm sure they will be again this week but you might as well get in there and find out what it's all about early.
"I'm just excited, excited to kick it all off. You can do all the preparation you like but until you start the competition you're only guessing. It'll be nice to get out there and get it going."
Much to Cleary's confusion, the match is scheduled to kick-off at 1pm (local time) which is the hottest part of the day in an area of Australia that gets extremely hot at this time of the year.
Although there is rain and low-ish temperatures forecast in the Gold Coast on Sunday, Cleary has taken measures to ensure his side copes with any temperatures it may face.
"We've made a couple of changes but it's nothing scientific, it's just trying to keep the boys' body temperatures down during the game," he said.
"So the things they drink before the game, during the game and just [using] ice really. You can take as many steps as we can but in reality it's going to hot and we know it and that's part of what playing the NRL in Australia is.
"It is early [the kick-off] and a little confusing I suppose when there's only two day games in the eight each week and they keep one in south east Queensland in March. But I suppose that's where today's game is, it's all based around TV and you've just got to roll with it."