Tim Ryan's stocks have soared to historic heights and the Queensland Reds hit top gear in a 46-point thumping over the Western Force.
In just his fourth career start the 20-year-old winger made Reds history with his second hat-trick of the season in Saturday's 59-13 win at Suncorp Stadium.
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Fit-again five-eighth Tom Lynagh and forward Seru Uru also impressed as the Reds piled on nine tries to one to lock in a quarter-final against the Chiefs in Hamilton with one round still to play.
Ryan out-jumped his rival winger to score in the fourth minute, then almost immediately had a second try rubbed out by a forward pass.
He got the double after the break, Ryan pinning his ears back from 40 metres out to finish a brilliant counter-attack.
Ryan then hit a gap and defied cramp to stumble over in the 75th minute and become the first Reds player to notch multiple hat-tricks.
He now has nine tries in just four career starts and seven appearances in total.
Already boasting his own fan club in the stands, Ryan's form is demanding Test consideration ahead of the Wales tour of Australia in July.
"Those things happen every now and then and it's happening for Timmy at the moment," coach Les Kiss said.
"He knows it's on the back of good teamwork, but he finds a way, doesn't he, and that's brilliant.
"He's still very level-headed ... at least now the conversation's about his footy rather than the (nickname) Junkyard Dog.
"That's all part of the theatre, I get it, but he's doing good things on the footy pitch. He's got the sniff, hasn't he."
