Craig Fitzgibbon has broken one of his personal rules by singling out Teig Wilton and declaring the Cronulla second-rower worthy of World Cup consideration.
After a 48-12 defeat of Manly that featured a combined five try assists for halves Nicho Hynes and Braydon Trindall, the Sharks coach was keener to praise workmanlike Wilton.
The 26-year-old handled the tough job marking up on wrecking ball Haumole Olakau'atu and scored the Sharks' opening try as he scythed down the left edge.
Fitzgibbon, a hardworking back-rower in his playing days, said Wilton's smaller efforts impressed him the most, especially when Sunday's game was in the balance.
"The first 12 minutes was an ordeal. It was chaos, it was live, non-stop, everyone. Set for set for set. That guy is running the ball tackle twos and threes out of the back-field," Fitzgibbon said.
"He ran when either no one could or he could have let it go to someone else.
"The way he chases kick, just little things, every time they throw a ball out to the edge, you've got edge defence, the way he moves off the ball."
In an era of statistical analysis and round-the-clock media coverage of the sport, few players can genuinely claim to be underrated.
Fitzgibbon believes Wilton might be one.
"I don't usually do it (praise individuals), but I don't know how he's not identified as a real player. That guy is going good," said Fitzgibbon.
"I just think he's an underestimated player."
An achilles tendon injury to Hudson Young has blown open the selection race for back-rowers hoping to represent Australia at the World Cup later in the year.
Four-time premiership winner Liam Martin appears a leading option, while Canterbury's Jacob Preston is likely to be in the mix now he has returned from an arm injury.
Asked whether Wilton deserved to be in consideration, Fitzgibbon said: "I'd hope so".
"There's so many good back-rowers in our game," he said.
"But as far as a teammate and a good guy and someone that values their team above themselves, he's up there."
Wilton said it was "a dream" to one day represent Australia.
"It's definitely something I aspire towards," he told AAP.
"It's definitely a dream of mine, but at the back end of the year, I'm just solely focused on playing my best footy for the Cronulla Sharks."
