All eyes were on Benji Marshall in his first Sydney outing since quitting the NRL, but the former Wests Tigers star was outshone by an unheralded league convert in the Waratahs' 33-12 Super Rugby trial win over the Auckland Blues at Allianz Stadium.
Twenty-two-year-old winger Alofa Alofa, an ex-Sydney Roosters under-20s player announced himself as a player to watch for the Waratahs this year with a try and several passages of dazzling footwork.
Meanwhile, Kurtley Beale might have started at fullback, but he put his name forward to begin his comeback season at the Waratahs in the hotly-contested No.10 jersey, after igniting the NSW backline with the opening try, some sharp passing and then a brilliant first-half chip-and-chase.
Friday night's match started as a dour struggle, but soon opened up, with Beale, Israel Folau and rookie flyer Alofa putting together a tidy highlights package to kick-start the Waratahs season.
Blues No.10 Marshall was constantly on the back foot in his 40 minutes on the field, playing behind an overpowered pack missing several All Blacks forwards.
But if Friday's hit-out was any indication, Marshall faces a steeper learning curve in his new code than many league converts before him, struggling to find his place in the game.
The former Kiwis captain was steamrolled by giant Waratahs back rower Will Skelton as NSW took an early 14-0 lead.
His timing proved out when he did finally get the ball in his hands, failing to find touch from a penalty and throwing a dud pass into an unsuspecting teammate.
Marshall was replaced at halftime, coinciding with the benchmark of cross-code stars, Folau taking the field for the opposition - although the NSW fullback made a rare error, fumbling a kick which allowed Charles Piutau to bring the Blues' back into the match at 21-12.
However, Folau made amends just 10 minutes later when he put Stephen Hoiles over in the corner with the silkiest of flick-passes to put the result beyond doubt.
NSW held the ball for virtually the entire opening 11 minutes of the match, before Beale scooped up a loose pass from halfback Nick Phipps and surged over from close range.
Bernard Foley started at five-eighth and also scored a try, but it was Beale who put the No.10 through a hole in the 13th minute with a pin-point face-ball at the line.
The Waratahs' backs interchanged positions throughout the night, but the most revealing find of the night was West Harbour product Alofa - who finished off the try of the night in the 67th minute.
"The effort he showed to score the try where he was down on his back only a couple of seconds before and got back up. That's what this team is trying to become," said coach Michael Cheika of the rookie-contracted Alofa, who last played against Marshall in a Roosters versus Wests Tigers NRL trial two years ago.
"That shows he's obviously hungry and he wants an opportunity so he definitely gave himself a shot at it that's for sure."
Stephen Hoiles made a positive return from injury, but Cheika revealed a crushing pre-season injury blow for the Waratahs - blindside flanker Mitch Chapman ruled out for the season after splitting a tendon in the back of his ankle during training two weeks ago.
Chapman didn't realise at first he'd suffered major damage, but scans confirmed he requires surgery.
Cheika said Marshall will get better for the Blues as the year goes on, and gave Beale the points over No.10 rival Foley.
However, he hasn't ruled out playing both in the starting side come round one, after Beale spent time at No.12.
"Kurtley had to move from fullback to five-eighth to inside centre and he did it all real easy," said Cheika.
"We need to start looking more often to make something out of nothing because defences are so good these days ... and Beale did that tonight on several occasions."
