Kieran Foran knows better than most how opposing half Dylan Brown is feeling at Parramatta this week.
It was only three years ago he himself arrived at the Eels with the weight of expectation on his shoulders.
Parramatta's great hope is ready to end the curse of an ever-growing number of halves unable to secure a premiership or long-term tenure.
Foran was only there for eight months but it's possible he copped more heat than most. But still, he's far from alone in that category.
"It's all the same talk every year about Parramatta halves," Foran, now at Canterbury, said ahead of Sunday's clash with his old club.
"Only they (Brown and Mitchell Moses) know the work they've been putting in and I'm sure they will be right.
"They are both good players and they both know how to play footy, so I'm sure they will handle the pressure fine."
Talk of the teenager Brown and the Sterling curse began as early as a month before his first NRL game on Sunday.
Then after full-time it was there again, this time after a try-assist on debut, looking typically comfortable taking the line on and getting through a heavy defensive workload while the Eels were a man down.
It's the reason why he's the most talked about 18-year-old in the NRL this season, having already courted attention from rival clubs over the off-season.
"I haven't seen too much of him but what I have seen he looks like a great young player," Foran said.
"He's got all the attributes of a really good half, he's got good skill and is a good tough defender. From what I saw of him on the weekend he looked the goods.
"I'm sure he will handle it, by all reports he is a pretty relaxed kid and he just takes it in his stride. I'm sure he will be there a while. He'll get better and better each game."
Australian Associated Press
