Australian rugby's newest star grew up idolising Johnathan Thurston, dreamed of a career with the Rabbitohs in the NRL, was rated among the best Oz Tag players in the world and had never so much as tried his current code until late last year.
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Now Maurice Longbottom wants to help Australia get to the top of the podium at next year's Commonwealth Games and then on to the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.
The 22-year-old from La Perouse became somewhat of a sensation almost overnight as footage emerged of the rookie mesmerising opponents at the Oktoberfest 7s in Munich, where Australia beat Olympic champions Fiji 40-7 in the final.
The Fijians were stocked with development players but Longbottom's talent was clear to anyone taking an interest. In his debut tournament, he set up one try and scored another in the final to set up a much-needed win for coach Andy Friend's squad.
Longbottom played rugby league all of his life, featuring in junior NSW rep teams at halfback and going to school with Brisbane Broncos centre James Roberts. Dismissed by many as too small to make it, league's loss now stands to be rugby's gain as the Australian Rugby Union prepares to lock him into a long-term deal.
At the moment, he's only on a training contract until the end of December. But after confirmation he could handle himself in style on the international stage, a more substantial deal won't be far away.
Longbottom said he only tried the game after a few cousins invited him to the annual Ella 7s in Coffs Harbour for a 'muck around'. He won player of the tournament, then was selected for a Lloyd McDermott team for a tournament in Adelaide, where he was picked up by national scouts.
"I love having so much more room to myself. There's just more room for me to do my thing. I've always been naturally quick. My step developed when I got older," Longbottom said.
"There was hardly any union around when I was coming up. It was just all league. The only way I found out about it was the Ella 7s. I wish I'd found it sooner - I just had a knack for it. I absolutely love it."
Longbottom set lofty goals before he even made it into the sevens program. From his very first training camp, he said he knew where he wanted to head.
"Comm Games next year would be wonderful. But 2020 is my goal. I set myself a goal even before I made it into the Australian team. I'm pushing big-time to get to that," he said.
Former St George lock Jeff Hardy, who has become heavily involved in Oz Tag since his retirement in 2000, was watching with keen interest over the weekend as Longbottom made his sevens debut.
Sadly, he doesn't think they will be seeing him too often around the South Sydney Oz Tag scene but he said he couldn't be happier for him.
"He was fantastic, right from when he was a kid. He was the best Oz Tag player I've ever seen and I've seen a million games," Hardy said.
"He's so fast, with the biggest step, at pace. He's evasive. He can catch, pass, kick ... really good skills. Fit, works hard. I watched him on the weekend. Those blokes couldn't lay a hand on him."
Longbottom is one of three Indigenous players in the sevens program, giving the code hope it can finally make some inroads into a group of athletes that have traditionally favoured league and AFL.
