Salford captain Adrian Morley admits it is time for the expensively-assembled Red Devils to start producing the goods and he would love to kick-start their First Utility Super League campaign against his old club Warrington.
The evergreen forward faces his old team-mates for the first time when the Wolves visit the AJ Bell Stadium on Friday night, with Salford looking to avoid a third straight defeat and the Wolves aiming for a third consecutive win.
With owner Marwan Koukash insisting on a top-six finish, Morley admits pressure is mounting on the Salford team to live up to all the hype.
"We get pressure from the media and pressure from Marwan but that's not necessarily a bad thing," he said. "I've really enjoyed the build-up.
"Marwan has done a fantastic job in raising the awareness and interest in the club but it's human nature, like the tall-poppy syndrome, we're there to be knocked down.
"It's been a bit of a shock for some of the boys. Other teams see Salford as a scalp but that's something we've spoken about. We are in the thick of things now, we just need to start performing."
Having led Warrington to three Challenge Cup victories at Wembley and to back-to-back Grand Final appearances, this was the first fixture Morley looked out for in his new role as Salford skipper.
"I've got a lot of friends at Warrington, having played seven years there," said the 36-year-old prop, who is full of admiration for his former coach Tony Smith.
"I'd say he's the best coach I've had," Morley said. "Some coaches are extremely good at some things and not so good at others but he's probably the most rounded. He ticks all the boxes.
"He was fantastic not only for my career but Warrington needed someone to come in at that time to enable them to realise the potential they had. I've got a lot of time and respect for Tony as a coach."