Will Kennedy's name does not generate the headlines of a Latrell Mitchell or even one of teammate Nicho Hynes, but it was hard not to hear the noise the fullback caused in a stunning NRL start for Cronulla.
The Gamilaraay man crossed for a treble on Saturday night, but the third of his tries remarkably came in the 22nd minute of the clash against Canterbury that set up the 33-20 win.
After going 62 times without pulling off the measure of most outside backs, Kennedy has now scored three tries on two occasions just six Sharks games apart.
The other time was back in round 2 against Parramatta whose back-to-back tries in the match proved the difference in a 30-26 victory.
The fifth NRL season appears now be the Bathurst bolter's breakout season since his 2019 debut.
During the preseason, the rugby league No.1 was not even considered Cronulla's No.1 choice at the back of the field.
Though the club decided to release one of Kennedy's fullback rivals, Lachlan Miller, to Newcastle before the opening kick-off.
But two days later, Sharks heir apparent Kade Dykes suffered a season-ending injury.
So, Kennedy was it, just nine days since re-signing a new contract until 2025.
But on his brilliant recent performances, the son of the former Balmain centre of the late 1990s team before the merger with Western Suburbs is running around as good as any last man in defence.
All of his tries were right out of the fullback textbook too.
The 26-year-old backed up to the line off the work of firstly, Hynes, and then, Briton Nikora, making gains through the Bulldogs' line to score inside the sixth minute.
Kennedy sprinted for the kick, soared above the pack, and sprinted again to cross just three minutes later for the second.
The hat-trick was complete when he sold the defenders a couple of dummies to score once again.
The next 58 minutes was proving that he is not all flash and no substance that added to the nine tries of 2023, just one less than the NRL leading pack.
"Some of the other (things) he did when they were coming and trying to get back into our game – like defusing those bombs and getting his defensive line organised, and turning up – you probably didn't notice," Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon said in the post press conference.
"But he was chasing kicks and making tackles downfield – he was everywhere.
"He's doing really well, Will."
Nicho Hynes made it a great Indigenous occasion for the Sharks, booting all of the five conversions, another via a penalty goal and a one-point field goal.
