When an ACL injury struck Cronulla Sharks skipper Cameron McInnes at the end of the regular season last year, coach Craig Fitzgibbon needed to make an integral decision on who would replace him at starting lock for their run into the 2025 finals series.
In such a vital role in today's game, Fitzgibbon opted with Jesse Colquhoun, who, at the time, only had 25 NRL games to his name, and replaced McInnes as the club's starting lock.
"Almost a bit of baptism by fire, you know?" Colquhoun told Zero Tackle.
"I wouldn't have planned for our captain last year, Cam McInnes to go down with a long-term injury like he did.
"But I think it's been nothing but a blessing for me. It's taught me a lot, and it's definitely developed my game into areas I know I can go.
"Hopefully, sky's the limit and I can just keep improving from it."
With McInnes returning this weekend off the bench, it marks the first time since August last year since his last appearance, while also returning ahead of schedule.
Since then, Colquhoun has been the mainstay lock for the side and credited the veteran for all the teachings he received along the way.
"Yeah for sure," he replied when asked if McInnes has had a positive impact on his evolution as a lock.
"He's definitely been a major factor in terms of my development.
"I think, especially on the mental side as well, he's been really good in allowing me to learn how to be a leader and to lead myself as well, so he's been enormous."
Earmarked as the long-term successor for McInnes, capsulated by a four-year extension in January, the club sees Colquhoun as a future leader of the Sharks engine room.
With a horror run of injuries to start Colquhoun's career, limiting him to 11 games in three seasons since his NRL debut in 2022, he has put in a huge 12-month campaign to thank the club for sticking by him.
When speaking with Zero Tackle in the preseason, McInnes was glowing with praise of the young workhorse's development, crediting his maturity and resilience from injuries, which included two foot fractures in 2023 and an ACL rupture in his 2024 return match.
"He's been working hard for a few years now. He's had a few injuries himself; he's so level-headed," McInnes said in February.
"That's what I really admire about him since he was a young age, just really level-headed and mature for his age.
"He played really well at the backend of last year, got the opportunity, and took it, and been rewarded for that with being signed for 4 years or something like that.
"So he's definitely in the future, that's for sure."
With McInnes still unsigned for next year, speculation has mounted widely that the Sharks are looking to move in another direction, which could see the resilient leader leave the Shire and have Colquhoun lock down the position.
Reeling off a loss to the Sydney Roosters, followed by a bye last week, has the Sharks fresh for an encounter up north with the Cowboys, who will look to rectify their poor efforts against the Sea Eagles last week.
"Yeah, they've got strike all throughout the park, we're both playing for the Paul Green medal on the weekend too," Colquhoun added.
"There's a lot on the line, it's also Anzac Day as well.
"So I'm sure they're going to be looking to bounce back and come out firing, like I said, they've got strike all over the park, and they're a really good footy side, so we're definitely going to have to show up."
Paul Green played 95 games in black, white and blue while also picking up a Rothmans Medal (MVP) in 1995.
Along with coaching the Cowboys to their maiden premiership in 2015, the fixture will honour Green's legacy across both clubs, and the medal will be given to the man of the match.
