Rising Warriors pivot Luke Metcalf has spent plenty of quality time with halves partner Shaun Johnson over the past few years.
The pair were both with the Cronulla Sharks in 2021, where Johnson was the first to receive a tap on the shoulder when the Warriors came knocking on Metcalf's door.
"I spoke to him a fair bit [about moving to NZ]," Metcalf recalled.
"He told me about how the whole city can get behind you, as we're seeing now. It feels like one big community."
Reunited in Aotearoa, the two have finally had a chance to show what they're made of as a tandem and have quietly become one of the most under-rated across the NRL.
While Johnson's clock-winding exploits have headlined the Warriors' 2023 resurgence, Metcalf has seized the opportunity created by Te Maire Martin's injury absence to step into the No. 6 jersey and start delivering on the massive potential tag he carried with him from across the ditch.
That culminated in Metcalf's breakthrough performance in last weekend's demolition of his former side in Auckland. Using his lethal blend of explosive speed and strength, he carved the Sharks' defence apart with two tries and an assist in a display that turned heads across the competition, providing the perfect foil for Johnson's generalship.
Playing alongside and learning on a daily basis from his boyhood idol Johnson is a situation Metcalf admits constantly has him pinching himself, laughing as he thinks back to what the 11-year-old youngster in Coffs Harbour would say if he could see him now.
"He was my favourite player when I was younger. I hate telling him because it gives him a bigger head than he already has," he joked.
"I was with him at Cronulla there in 2021, so that was cool to learn off him there, and I'm still learning a lot off him now."
And it quickly becomes evident there's no hint of lip service when it comes to Metcalf's reverence of Johnson. He reels off his personal SJ highlights like they were written on a pad in front of him.
That famous sidestepping 60m try against the Broncos in 2011. The game-winner for the NZ Kiwis against England at the 2013 World Cup, a match he got up at 2am to watch.
Of course, he remembers the Warriors' hosting the Raiders - their opponents on Friday - that same year, when Johnson ran in a hat-trick of tries.
Then there was the Warriors' visit to Coffs Harbour for a pre-season match against the Rabbitohs, where the league-mad 11-year-old had the chance to snap a pic with Johnson.
"My parents can't find it, I'm so filthy," Metcalf joked. "I was too shy, so my brother had to ask him for a photo."
Fast forward 12 years and the two are sharing an NRL pitch together.
Now that they're peers, Metcalf admits he's been persistent with his badgering of Johnson for advice. The pair regularly review video together, going over details with a fine toothcomb in a ritual that is paying dividends on the field.
"He's open-minded. He wants to teach you. If you ask him a question he'll spend two minutes with you there talking about it.
"I'm a bit of a footy nerd, so I like to watch video and ask lots of questions, which he finds pretty funny, but I think deep down he really likes that I ask heaps of questions.
"Every game [our combination] is getting better. He's our general. He's our No. 7, so he steers the ship. It's still a work in progress but it excites me."
The 24-year-old will have another chance to take another step with his rapid development against the Raiders on Friday, where a win against the fourth-placed side could lift them into the upper echelon of the competition standings.
Injury meant it took 18 months for Metcalf to make his first-grade debut for the Warriors against the Bulldogs in round 11. But he's promptly made up for lost time - showing the Mt Smart faithful he was well worth the wait.
"I felt like I was just building my game those first few weeks, trying to find my role within the team and how my game fits into the way we play," he explained.
"I feel like I'm coming into my own now a little bit and I just want to keep building on that. I'm not really satisfied with where I'm at. I still want to go and keep playing better and striving for more.
"I feel like the more I keep trying to find ways to get the ball in my hands and attack well and defend well, I feel like I can only keep getting better."
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