It was Briton Nikora's Hail Mary moment.
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And now after showing signs he's set for a long, fruitful NRL career, it's all starting to pay off for the breakout Cronulla back-rower.
At the end of 2015, the New Zealand native was faced with a choice - keep plugging away in park footy on the Gold Coast or pack up his bags and chase his dream.
After moving to the Gold Coast when he was nine, he attended famed rugby league nursery Keebra Park High, which has produced the likes of Benji Marshall and Corey Norman.
Playing for the Tweed Heads Seagulls under-20s side at the time, and without a manager, he decided to head south for a handful of open trials with NRL clubs.
After trying out at Canberra, he made his way to Shark Park where he trialled in front of then Sharks under-20s coach John Morris and landed a two-year deal.
"I flew down with one of my mates just trying to have a crack at it, just see what happens, have faith and back myself," Nikora said.
"John ended up being the (under 20s coach) that year, I ended up playing two years under him in the Holden Cup ... I was just trying to give it a crack, see what I can do for myself.
"It was a dream that I was chasing and I finally got a chance, it was my first contract. It was pretty ballsy but it worked out."
After a season in NSW Cup, he was tapped by Morris to this year take over the right back-row spot vacated by the retiring Luke Lewis.
Lewis was expected to leave a massive hole in the Sharks' line-up, however in his two first-grade appearances Nikora has proven himself a powerful ball runner and adept at picking a good line.
His combination with Shaun Johnson, a childhood hero of his, is showing signs of being an important string in the Shark's bow in 2019.
His talent was on show in the Sharks' 20-6 win over the Gold Coast on Saturday, crossing for his first NRL try as well as making two line breaks, six tackle busts and 120m.
"Looking up to Shaun coming through school, I just try to feed off him, what he's got for me," Nikora said.
"He's really off-the-cuff so you never know what's going to happen. You've got to be alert at all time.
"I'm just learning off him and have to be ready for whatever he has and run hard."
Australian Associated Press