HE defends like Billy Slater, he fends like Greg Inglis and can finish like James Tedesco - all that and Carter Lamperd is only in under 7s.
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Last Saturday Lamperd and his fellow under 7 Eglinton Eels showed off skills many older players would envy when they played St Pat's Blue in their Group 10 Junior Rugby League minis match at Cubis Park.
While it is a non-competitive age group, Lamperd enjoyed scoring three tries, one of them featuring a nice in-and-away as he work his way past a host of St Pat's defenders.
In defence he made a string of try saving tackles, impressing spectators and his Eels co-coach Ben Bracken.
"He could play two grades up I reckon, he's a natural," Bracken said. "This is his third year with us. You know you can rely on him."
But Lamperd was not the only mini Eel who showed his talent for league.
Five-eighth Jonah Fowler also crossed for three tries, including a length of the field effort, while Mason Thomas' highlight was running away down the sideline to beat the entire Pat's side.
Ollie Coe, son of former Bathurst Panthers and Group 10 prop Wes Coe, was another who scored a hat-trick.
He fended away rivals just as his father once did, but Bracken laughed that Ollie has more speed.
"Ollie, he's a chip off the ole block but I don't know if he's a front rower like his old man, he's a bit quicker I'd say," he said.
Liam Roberts, Nathan Cheetham and Isaac Anthes all had big smiles as they ran hard with the ball and worked together in defence, while Tyse Bracken palmed off St Pat's defenders across all four quarters as he finished with three tries.
"Tyse, he's got the palm, I don't know where he's got that from, he's taught himself that," Bracken said.
But tries, fends and tackles aside, the main goal for Bracken and his co-coach Kyle Fowler is for the Eels to have fun.
All of them did and so did the mini Saints.
"They are good and they've worked out that they are a team together. They have fun together and they turn up to training and there's no dramas with them, they are an easy bunch to run with," Bracken said.
"Most of them played last year, there's only one new player and he's fitted straight into the side. They're all good mates.
"It's a good club here, we love it."
