New St Helens coach Nathan Brown called on his players to "hold their nerve" after crashing to a shock 40-4 home defeat by his old club Huddersfield in their opening Super League fixture.
The Giants piled on the misery for their former coach as they scored seven tries to one in pulling off their first away win over St Helens since 1978.
Huddersfield's new prop forward recruits Stuart Fielden and Craig Kopczak laid the early platform for captain Danny Brough to dictate play, while England centre Leroy Cudjoe led the scoring with a brace of tries.
Brown, who ended his four-year stay at the Yorkshire club last July, paid tribute to the Giants' forward domination but insisted all is not lost for his new club.
"From one game to the next in the friendlies we showed some improvement and we trained to a standard where we were reasonably happy," he said.
"But, at the end of the day, the physical part of the game is where it's won and lost and we got physically dominated.
"We knew Huddersfield had recruited really well and they will rattle up some scores.
"They did really well, hats off to them. Broughy got to play in a dinner suit tonight.
"I thought we'd do a bit better than we did but we need to hold our nerve. It's a long year."
St Helens, who gave debuts to former Hull duo Jordan Turner and Willie Manu, trailed 40-0 until Mark Flanagan scored a late consolation try.
Wingers Luke George and Jermaine McGillvary scored Huddersfield's other tries, along with forwards Shaun Lunt, Larne Patrick and Brett Ferres, with Brough kicking five goals until coming off with a back spasm.
Under Brown, Huddersfield won at Wigan in the opening round last year only to fade in the second half and his successor Paul Anderson is determined to ensure his players do not get carried away with the victory.
"It's fair to say we got the bounce of the ball but sometimes you make those things happen," Anderson said.
"There was a good collective through the team but we can't lose sight of where we're at.
"My job is to keep people's feet on the ground. There were parts of the game where we were good and parts of the game where we weren't so good. There is still massive improvement to come.
"We will enjoy ourselves, understand where we're at and, when the time is right, put our focus into round two."
Nathan Brown wishes his former club Huddersfield every success for the new season - but only after Saturday's opening match.
The charismatic Australian, who last July cut short his stay with the Giants following a dramatic slump in the team's fortunes, takes charge of his first Super League match as St Helens coach when his old club visit Langtree Park.
"It's going to be exciting," Brown said. "There'll be plenty of guys I know. I've said a number of times I want Huddersfield to do well - just not against St Helens. It'll be good."
It will be master versus apprentice, with Brown going up against his former assistant Paul Anderson, who was his right-hand man at the John Smith's Stadium for four seasons.
Brown recommended the former Great Britain prop as his successor and is expecting him to make a success of his first role of head coach.
"I think it is a great appointment," he said. "Paul has done seven or eight years as an assistant and is more than ready to have a shot on his own.
"We're good friends and we both helped each other develop as coaches.
"Baloo was a great assistant coach and always challenged me. He is not a yes-no coach. He has got a lot of ideas himself and puts his case forward. He helped me and hopefully I helped him."
Anderson, who took charge of Huddersfield for the last eight matches of the season, has had a full off season to rebuild the squad and implement his ideas.
He insists tomorrow's match is not about the coaches but admits he owes a debt of gratitude to his old boss.
"It is another game," Anderson said. "You have got to play Saints away at some point in the year.
"That's how we look at it, rather than Nathan Brown being there. Good luck to Browny - but not against the Giants.
"In regards to my coaching career, Browny - and I have told him myself, face to face - he has been massive for me in my career.
"He might have given me a bit too much - we'll wait and see on Saturday.
"I owe Browny. I've got a lot of time for him as a person and as a coach. He is one hell of a good coach and a great person. I know he is always there for some advice, but probably not this week."
Anderson has included new front-row signings Stuart Fielden and Craig Kopczak in his 19-man squad but is without back rower Michael Lawrence, who has an ankle injury.
Saints, whose only injury absentee is prop forward Paul Clough, will have new signings Jordan Turner and Willie Manu on debut.