The Waratahs' week at Ballymore has started with a flood of ex-players sending messages to coach Richard Graham, reminding him how vital it is to give the old enemy a decent whack when NSW venture to Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.
The spray from Queensland rugby icon Stan Pilecki, who last year tore strips off the players for not spilling enough blood for the jumper, also remains in play. "I think Stan, that one he sent me last year, carries over for 12 months," Graham said.
A gentle nudge from the alumni can't hurt although this is to assume Graham is not aware of the significance of the fixture, which of course he is, as is his captain James Slipper, who can already sense the rounds ticking away in the Super Rugby season.
To suggest this is a match that could save the Reds' campaign remains a stretch yet there is far more than interstate pride on the line. Two beltings from the 'Tahs in 2014 have upped the stakes but the Reds need a win to keep their heads above water.
What shaped as a season of high hopes and big signings has threatened to be drowned by key injuries, poor discipline and an unfortunate cocaine scandal. A loss to the Highlanders in Dunedin has the Queenslanders at one win and two defeats, with Slipper suggesting some poor finishing and a lack of confidence in attack - a reluctance to chance the arm with the final pass - was largely to blame.
Without Quade Cooper, the unforeseen loss of Karmichael Hunt and the introduction of James O'Connor at flyhalf, there are excuses for the Reds as they try to find fluidity in their backline. But time is of the essence in the unforgiving Super Rugby season and Slipper knows the turnaround must begin this week in Brisbane.
"We spoke about that after the game. That's three games done and dusted and we've only got the one win to show for it. It's crucial," Slipper said. "It's frustrating. No player goes out there to purposely do it. It's unfortunate we didn't back ourselves to push the pass. In some cases, we didn't push the pass which led to a missed opportunity. I said we wanted to have a good start to the season and it hasn't panned out that way. But we're confident going into a Suncorp Stadium full of Reds supporters that we can come out with a win."
There's no time like the present but there's also no way around the obvious strengths of the defending champion Waratahs, who will deploy a power-based game that the Reds must match or perish. James Horwill's return from a hand injury will help but fellow lock Rob Simmons remains out with an injury to a shoulder nerve that is proving tricky to treat for the Reds' medical staff.
Former Wallaby centre Ben Tapuai should also play his first game of the season, while bullocking young centre Samu Kerevi should recover from a cork he suffered in New Zealand. O'Connor sparkled with his feet in his Reds debut but battled with some of the more tactical elements of his game, including his kicking, which has been the subject of debriefs with Reds coaching staff.
Graham backed O'Connor to be vastly improved in his second outing and welcomed any NSW attempts to subject him to extra pressure when he handles the ball. "No doubt they will focus on him and hopefully that will leave space for three or four other players," Graham said. While one part of the Reds halves remains a work in progress, halfback Will Genia has been in eye-catching touch and looks like a man on a mission to regain his Wallabies jumper. That will be the least of his worries against the Waratahs but a strong effort in front of the national coach could hardly hurt in the early season selection race.
