Every NRL player has to ply their trade under pressure. Whether it be the pressure of their coach, their fans, or the players themselves, everyone expects the best out of every player across the competition.
That said, there are certain players who really need to shine in 2019.
That may sound silly, as every player needs to play well, but the below five players will enter the new year under increased scrutiny and pressure.
This list could be 100 players long, but as I see it right now, these five players are looking to have huge off-seasons so they can hit the ground running in 2019.
I'm a big fan of Foran but he is far from the player he was during his Manly days. He's on a huge contract and was recruited to be the man to return the Bulldogs back to the finals.
In 2018 he was awful. I say that with the greatest respect but he in no way justified his massive price tag through a combination of injury and sub par form.
The Bulldogs played much better footy after Foran's injury forced a reshuffle in the side so his return will be met with huge scrutiny from fans in blue and white.
He is, by far, the Dogs biggest name and biggest star, and if they are ANY hope of a winning season, the New Zealand half needs to fire, in a big way.
Whether or not he still has it in him after a series of injury plagued seasons is in question.
If he doesn't start well, Dogs fans will want him dropped to see the young halves combination returned.
Given the huge money Foran is on, it will take a very brave man to drop him to NSW cup either way.
Though no fault of his own, the New Zealand mega star enters 2019 as one of the most under pressure players. That said, pressure is nothing new for the man who was literally the face of the game in his native country.
Johnson joins a side under intense media scrutiny as the side's main play-maker. His arrival has shifted the Sharks biggest attacking threat from 2018 in Matt Moylan out of his preferred number six role.
The star number seven (or possibly six) will be expected to immediately head the ground running after becoming the Shire club's new great hope.
His kicking game will massively improve the side, while he will also take over the kicking duties. It will be his responsibility to provide another experienced head in a side that is sans Luke Lewis (retired) and Wade Graham (injury).
Unfairly, Johnson will also be compared to Valentine Holmes given that he has 'directly' replaced him.
Johnson can handle it but the media cameras very rarely leave Shark Park. He will need to perform well as the Sharks have signed him to deliver a premiership. Big ask in the current environment.
Michael Morgan is a wonderful player but he returns from injury as the club's main man following the retirement of Johnathan Thurston.
Morgan was absolutely magnificent in 2017 while Thurston was out through injury so he has it in him, but the side in 2019 will be vastly different to that he took a Grand Final.
He has lost plenty of experience in front of him and out wide, although he does have a pretty handy weapon wearing number one in Ben Barba coming in.
Given his 2018 season ended early through injury it will be a long and slow return to the game for the super star number six.
That said, he will need to return at almost full tilt given he is now, undisputed as the Cowboys number one attacking weapon.
I love watching Morgan play and have no doubt he will handle it, but a few early losses could see some serious chatter up north.
James Maloney didn't have a bad 2018 season by any stretch but the simple fact that the man he replaced in Matt Moylan aced him in the semi finals last season means big pressure on Maloney.
The multiple time premiership winner was brought to the foot of the mountains to deliver a title to the Panthers.
He fell well short in 2018. Although it is very unfair to say he was the one responsible for the side not lifting the trophy, the fact remains the Panthers walked the much younger Moylan looking for instant success.
Maloney had his pants pulled down in that semi final and was very much outplayed by all three halves on the field. That's not what he was brought in to do (obviously).
The Panthers have a genuine title-winning squad but they need Maloney at his very best.
The Sharks won the title on the back of Maloney brilliance. His follow up season was below par and the side looked nothing like their 2016 selves.
He is arguably the most important player to any sides fortunes. Pressure.
No man enters 2019 with more eyes on him that young Bronco Jack Bird. He was the Broncos marquee signing for this year yet he simply did not deliver.
Bird could not find a regular role under Wayne Bennett and will hope that a change of coach will bring about a change in fortunes.
He will be shifted back to the centres and will be expected to produce the form that saw him win a title and an Origin birth.
The Broncos probably can't win the title without a fully firing Jack Bird. That's a huge call but they're certainly better off with Bird playing well.
He looks in far better shape than he did at any time during the season and all reports are that his body is right.
Given his efforts in 2016 to play almost one armed, he has plenty of fight in him and should come back in a big way in 2019.
He has to.