Stuart Fielden is a man with exceptionally high standards. He applies them to himself - regularly "beating himself up" after a bad performance - and he expects them of others.
Ask him about last season and he will tell you that he - and the Bradford Bulls in general - had just three good games.
The 25-year-old reckons Bradford were "scraping through games" and "flopping about".
This in a campaign that saw the Bulls reach the Grand Final, only to lose to local rivals Leeds.
The 18-6 defeat at Old Trafford saw the Bulls surrender their Super League crown, but even before then the inquisition had started into a season that lacked the intensity of previous years.
"To be fair, we kind of readdressed ourselves towards the end of last season," Fielden told BBC Sport. "I have openly said that by our own standards we were terrible.
"I think standards slipped a little bit last year - the lads seemed to lack a little enthusiasm sometimes but this year we have come back rejuvenated and look like a different team."
Fielden, like the rest of his team-mates, cannot put his finger on exactly why the all-imposing intensity that characterised their play in 2003 was missing.
But injuries, such as the broken arm that undermined Robbie Paul's preparations, and the lack of a specialist hooker following the retirement of Jimmy Lowes were definite factors.
"This season there seems to be a lot more enthusiasm," said Fielden.
 |  If you are truthful the lack of a specialist hooker is a concern to anyone |
"Robbie suffered a terrible fracture back in 2003 and has struggled with that but right now he seems to be flying.
"Iestyn Harris has had his first League pre-season in years which means he is good to go as well.
"One slight point is that we have not got a fully recognised hooker - as in someone who has been playing there for a long, long time.
"The hooker is pivotal and key in any team and maybe that is why we struggled last year because we did not have one.
"We are well covered everywhere else and if you are truthful the lack of a specialist hooker is a concern to anyone.
"That is obviously a problem, and where Ryan Hudson was going to fill in.
"But with the skilful people we have around there - Robbie, Iestyn, Paul Deacon and Karl Pratt - I don't think it is a bad substitute."
Fielden was the man of the match in Great Britain's opening Tri-Nations match, the 12-8 defeat to Australia in Manchester.
 Paul is another Bradford player raring to go |
But he was not happy with his form throughout the remainder of the tournament.
In fact, Fielden reckons last season was his worst injury-free campaign and is now aiming to be a key factor in Bradford's bid to reassert their Super League supremacy.
"I have set myself a big challenge and that is to have the best year of my career," Fielden added.
Fielden is regarded as one of the finest front rowers in world rugby - the fact that he is frequently linked with a move to Australia speaks volumes.
He is one of the game's finest enforcers, a man who has learnt to channel his aggression in pursuit of victory.
Fielden clearly hates losing and after the frustrations of last season the rest of Super League cannot say they have not been warned.
"I've had quite a while to think about it and now I'm determined to go out and perform."
MMIX
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