New North Queensland Cowboys outside backs combination Javid Bowen and Gideon Gela-Mosby are quietly spoken in front of the cameras, but seem to have no problem making themselves heard on the field in attack and defence.
Bowen had the taste of first grade last year, but has had the opportunity to move closer to the action in 2017 after regular centre Justin O'Neill sustained a hamstring injury. He's enjoyed playing in the centres for the extra attacking opportunity, and given his frame it's easy to see why he'd enjoy breaking though tackles, as opposed to skirting around his opposite number, despite his speed.
"I'm liking it a lot better than the wing. When you're attacking you get the ball a lot more, a lot more opportunity than playing on the wing," Bowen said.
"This year I feel a lot more comfortable playing week-in, week-out, the nerves have gone away pretty much."
Gela-Mosby is seemingly the polar opposite. Having made his debut in Round 4 this year, the slight winger has scored in both of his games, and throughout his under 20s career has run around players using his blinding speed.
Gela-Mosby didn't touch a rugby league ball until he moved from the Torres Strait to Cairns when he was in grade seven, and was introduced to rugby league by his family who supported the Cowboys. He also spoke modestly about his short-lived athletics career, having represented Trinity Bay State High School at inter-school athletics, and laughed as he admitted that he came first in the 100 metre sprint in his only appearance.
Gela Mosby's move to the Cowboys in 2017 has come with its fair share of challenges, one of which is playing outside Johnathan Thurston. When asked if he felt comfortable calling the ball from the Queensland and Australian representative, he responded:
"Um yeah, not really. You can kind of imagine, it's 'JT' right next to you and you're calling the ball so it's weird."
Despite this Gela-Mosby has even more to be excited about when he plays for the Cowboys. His family are all North Queensland fans, and there seems to be no better incentive for the young winger.
"Yeah as a kid growing up through the [Cowboys] system doing everything possible to get where I am," he said.
"To get the call up to play NRL in front of thousands of people and my family who are massive Cowboys fans is a pretty good job."
