Oliver Holmes believes the pressure of proving himself to a new set of supporters for the first time in his career, as well as the challenge of ending Warrington's wait for a league title, can take his game to new heights in 2022.
Holmes admits he had never considered ending his career-long association with Castleford Tigers before eventually being lured into making the switch across the Pennines with Daryl Powell and team-mate Peter Mata'utia to the Halliwell Jones Stadium.
He concedes that he felt he had started to slip into his 'comfort zone' at the Tigers, and believes the prospect of a new challenge for the first time means that rugby league supporters may not yet have seen the best of a player who was a mainstay of Castleford's success under Powell.
"I'd done 12 years with Castleford and I thought, had I gone as far at the club as I could have personally?" Holmes admitted to Rugby League Live.
"Had I got into my comfort zone a bit? Would I regret never trying something else? I feel like I've hit my mark here straight away, and I've really got a new lease of life with the new challenge."
Holmes admits there will be pressure on both himself and a new-look Warrington under Powell's guidance in 2022: but says that doesn't frighten him. Instead, he intends to thrive under the spotlight.
"There's one thing about pressure - it can go in two ways," he said. "You can crumble or rise to the occasion. I like the pressure for sure, I'm going to put my hand up and deliver on what I've said. That's going to bring the best out of me.
"I've got to prove myself as a player but I've also got to prove myself to my new teammates, to the club, the fans and to the whole town. It's a challenge I'm willing to take on and show I'm up for."
