Cronulla front-rower Royce Hunt is vowing to give Sharks-bound prop Addin Fonua-Blake "a little taste of what he's in for" as he starts his final season at the Warriors.
The 2024 season will be Fonua-Blake's final campaign in Auckland before linking up with the Sharks.
Craig Fitzgibbon's side took the NRL by surprise when they won the race for the powerful forward's signature on a four-year deal at the back end of last year.
The move to the Warriors has brought the best out of Fonua-Blake, who is widely lauded as one of the competition's most devastating props.
And in a twist of fate, Fonua-Blake will be pitted against Cronulla, who travel to Auckland in round one on Friday.
Asked if he and his teammates felt they had a point to prove against Fonua-Blake, Hunt told AAP: "He's going to be a good addition for us next year.
"But he's not a Shark yet … so we're going to treat him like we treat every other forward pack that we come up against.
"We'll give him a little taste of what he's in for.
"He's a hell of a player, so we'll throw down a challenge and see how he takes it."
Hunt said he admired Fonua-Blake's ability to wriggle out of tackles and his ability to ball-play at the line in a bid to create space for the Warriors' playmakers.
"He's got some big hips, I know that for free," Hunt said.
"He's got a great engine and has his hand in every one of their plays.
"If we can tire him out and take him out of some of them we'll be a lot better off."
Mount Smart Stadium is set to be awash with noise when the Warriors welcome back fan favourite Roger Tuivasa-Sheck after his brief dalliance with rugby union.
But the Sharks are keen to spoil his homecoming after being humbled 44-12 at the venue in one of the low points last season.
Hunt didn't play that game, but said they couldn't allow the boisterous home crowd to work as a distraction.
"If we can get on the front foot and power through the middle, then our backline can do the rest," Hunt said.
"I don't hear that noise when I play, I'm dialled in and all of that doesn't really affect me."
