Wendell Sailor praises Canterbury-Bankstown centre Jamal Idris
For all his success, bravado and undoubted talent, it took little more than a glance across his hotel room shortly before lights out to put to rest any lingering doubts Wendell Sailor may have had about his decision to retire.
There was a time not too long ago when 'Big Dell' was the biggest and baddest hombre roaming football paddocks around the world.
However, in roommate Jamal Idris, Sailor sees the future of the game and it is bigger, faster and more skilful.
The 2009 NRL Rookie of the Year, Idris looms as the crown jewel in the Indigenous All-Stars' talent-laden backline after injuries forced his idol, Justin Hodges, and fellow Test centre Greg Inglis out of Saturday's inaugural NRL All-Stars clash because of injury.
It is a mantle that sits uneasily with the quietly spoken Idris, but is one Sailor insists he will one day wear unchallenged.
Forget comparisons with Tuqiri, Folau or Inglis, Sailor believes Idris, who was ranked in the top 10 juniors in the world in javelin and was also a national junior recordholder in discus and on the track, is the finest athlete he has encountered in his professional career.
"I have played with some wonderful athletes - Andrew Johns, Lote Tuqiri, Darren Lockyer - but this kid is a different pedigree," Sailor said.
"His body is changing. He will strip down and start getting even bigger and stronger over the next few seasons and, seriously, how scary is that? He will be unstoppable.
"He has just got to realise how good he is and what he can do in the game if he puts his mind to it.
"People talk about Greg Inglis, Johnathan Thurston, Israel Folau but this bloke has that sort of talent and more.
"He has the world at his feet."
In his inimitable style, Sailor said he had plenty of tips to pass on about how to build one's self-belief. His mouth is apparently not slowing at the same rate as his legs.
"It is tough to get to sleep with him there telling you how good he is all night," Idris said.
"He keeps reminding me to refer to him as 'dual international Wendell Sailor' and I guess he has earned it. But to be honest I feel lucky to be part of this. I still remember playing footy back on the lawn at my nan's.
"It seems like yesterday. Now I am rooming with Wendell and getting ready to play with and against the best players in the game. It is pretty special."
It is, particularly for the members of the Indigenous squad, who have allocated much of the week's preparations to addressing the cultural and historical significance of the occasion.
"I used to just hear stories about the great Aboriginal players of the past and loved them.
"But having the chance to listen and learn a bit more of the history of the game in these camps, I definitely have a much better appreciation of what they went through to pave the way for all of us," said Idris, who was also part of the Dreamtime team which played New Zealand Maori in the opening match of the 2008 World Cup in Australia.
