Australian rugby's longest-running and fiercest state rivalry resumes at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.
NSW coach Dan McKellar lobbed the first verbal grenade after the Waratahs' 34-10 dispatch of the Western Force last Saturday, claiming his side will have to find another level to compete with the Reds.
"They're the best team in the competition," McKellar dead-panned.
Winger Andrew Kellaway continued the theme on Tuesday, even after being reminded the Waratahs remain the only unbeaten team in the competition after winning their opening three matches to be sitting pretty second on the ladder.
"I don't know if that's really what you measure the best team in the comp. I certainly don't. If we were going off that, the Chiefs are the best team in the comp - the top of the table," Kellaway said.
"So look history, we talk about recent history, particularly in the Australian competition, the Brumbies have been the benchmark but the Reds have been nipping at their heels for a little while now.
"So I certainly think the Reds are a very, very strong side.
"Particularly when they get their game going. If they get (Harry) Wilson and (Fraser) McReight, guys like that through the middle of the field and they bring their offload game alive, they are as good as anyone.
"So I would say for them they've proven that they've got the game and for us we're still in the process of proving that we can do all the things that we say internally.
"I'm not going to go as far as saying they're the best team in the comp, but I think there's certainly a lot more runs on the board for them.
"They're an established group. They've been together for a while and we're still in the process of building.
"So make of that what you will."
The Waratahs and Reds have been arch-rivals for more than 140 years.
Kellaway, though, stopped short of agreeing with Waratahs women's star Adiana Talakai's claim on Tuesday it's "better dead than (being a) 'Red."
"It's the casual quote that gets thrown around along these halls," Talakai said ahead of Saturday's women's showdown in Brisbane.
"We've never lost to an Australian team and I don't want to start this week or moving forward.
"I don't know if that's a reflection of how much I don't want to lose to the Reds or whatever but, yeah, we're not losing."
"I think if I said I'd rather be dead than Red, I'd be dead," Kellaway said.
"So I won't go that far, but look, I'm a proud New South Welshman. It's the best state in the world. I think it's the best city in the world.
"So I'm proud to be here."
Kellaway has been among the Tahs' best since shifting from the wing to fullback after Joseph-Aukuso-Suaalii suffered a toe injury in round one.
But he has no designs on trying to steal the cross-code superstar's position permanently.
"I think we're always warming the seat for the big Ferrari and I've got absolutely no qualms in moving out of the way for a bloke like that."
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