New Zealand half Te Maire Martin will likely go ducking for cover if North Queensland teammate Jason Taumalolo runs it straight at him in a Tonga jumper.
"I'll try and go backwards, let someone else go forward," the Kiwis five-eighth says with a wry smile. "Hopefully someone else tackles him."
The Kiwis have been at pains to avoid poking the 113kg Kiwi/Tongan bear this week, aware he'll be his typical rampaging self on November 11, when the two sides play each other in their Rugby League World Cup group match in Hamilton.
The 2016 Dally M medallist provoked outrage on the Shaky Isles two weeks ago, snubbing the land of his birth to play for the land of his ancestry.
But rhetoric has since softened inside the Kiwis camp.
In stark contrast to captain Adam Blair's fighting words last week, Martin and Thomas Leuluai have taken a diplomatic approach to Taumalolo's defection.
Neither player took offence to the star lock's decision.
"As much as you'd like Jason to be in your team, how good he runs - I've seen how good first hand - he's made his choice and that's what he feels is best, so good luck to him and the Tonga team," Martin said.
"We'll have our homework cut out for us."
Leuluai, a 36-Test veteran, said he'd be happy to welcome Taumalolo back into the Kiwis fold after the World Cup campaign.
He had no issues with Taumalolo following his heart.
"At the end of the day he's half Tongan, half New Zealander. So who are we to say he doesn't want to represent the country of his parents?" Leuluai said.
"They're going to be fired up and we are too."
Veteran Simon Mannering is all but certain to cover Taumalolo's loss at lock, with Joseph Tapine and Kenny Bromwich in the second row.
