Touching down on soil that has proved far from fruitful in recent times, the current crop of NZ Warriors are confident they can harvest two NRL competition points from their Anzac Day clash with Melbourne Storm.
"For sure, we want to win, and we train and we play to win games," said winger Marcelo Montoya. "That's what we're here to do, we want to win games."
Since joining the club in 2021, Montoya's endured the hard times of COVID-19 and two unsuccessful seasons with the Warriors, but the good times appear to be back under new coach Andrew Webster, with five wins from seven to start the season.
"He tells you as it is in a nice way and he's just a good fella," said Montoya. "As a coach, he just wants you to get better as a player and perform at your best, and he helps you do that."
The coach isn't the only thing that's changed - new players and a new resilience have helped boost the team into the top six, but the Storm shape as the true test of how far they've progressed from the worst season in the club history and the worst result - last year's 70-10 Anzac Day thrashing .
"Obviously, we got blown off the park and it was just one of those games that you don't want to remember, but that's what's happened, and we just got to make sure we go there and do better job," said Montoya.
By their own high standards, Melbourne have made a hot-and-cold start to the season, but after five years with the Storm, Warriors captain Tohu Harris knows better than to write them off.
"It doesn't matter who's wearing the jersey, they're going to be competing and there, come finals time," he said.
That's exactly where the Warriors want to be, with the Anzac game a chance to prove their credentials.
Join Newshub at 9pm Tuesday for live updates of the Warriors v Storm Anzac Day clash or catch live coverage on Three and Three Now
