Peter O'Sullivan, once in charge of Roosters recruitment, has recently overseen Newcastle's roster rebuild from wooden-spooners to grand finalists.
Years earlier, he received an email from Angus Crichton's Scots College account with a highlights package of the schoolboy union centre's games. That message has since vanished from the internet.
In the 12 years since, Crichton has played more than 200 NRL games, appeared in 17 Origins and 11 Tests, and won a premiership. A second title may be days away.
Crichton says: "I had put together a highlights package of my union games but was out injured with nerve damage in my neck, so was pretty bored and annoyed, and I got Peter O'Sullivan's email off [ex-South Sydney winger] Taane Milne,"