Brisbane forward has Kurt Capewell has swooped to score three tries off grubber kicks this season, with an old Ipswich partnership and a youth spent chasing rabbits in Charleville credited for his success.
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The 29-year-old second-rower has pounced for two of those tries from half Adam Reynolds' kicks close to the line, where he has been a man in a cape with his speed to track the ball down before defenders.
It continues a partnership that had similar success last year.
Before securing his first NRL contract in 2016, Capewell forged a reliable try-scoring partnership with Ipswich Jets half Dane Phillips with the duo winning the 2015 Queensland Cup and NRL State Championships title together.
"We had Dane Phillips at Ipswich who had one of the best short kicking games back them. Reyno is probably just outdoing him at the moment," Capewell said ahead of Friday night's clash with Parramatta in Darwin.
"It's something that just happens in the moment. We are reading each other's game well. I think everyone is worried about Reece (Walsh) out the back and I sneak through for cheap tries."
Capewell has often credited his former Ipswich coaches Ben and Shane Walker for enhancing his skill level.
"Kurt's instinct for that short burst have come from his days of rabbit hunting with his dad (Darrel) and uncle Troy," Shane Walker told AAP.
"He just knew when a rabbit was about to fly out.
"Kurt always had an instinct at the Jets for when Dane was about to put his little short kick in and scored a lot of tries ... and now he's doing the same off Adam's kicks.
"Interestingly Dane grew up in Kiama with the Morris twins (Josh and Brett) and honed his short kicking skills on the front lawn in a small space.
"Adam Reynolds grew up near Redfern Oval, he used to kick the ball at lamp posts and wheelie bins on the way to school and mastered the art."
Capewell, who has four tries in seven games this year, also showed outstanding speed to race away and score against the Dolphins from a Reynolds pass. That speed across the turf does not surprise former Broncos hooker Walker.
"Kurt has always been quick. He used to start games at Ipswich as a winger and when our second-rowers got subbed off he'd go in there and then head back out to the wing," Walker said.
"Adam and Kurt now have a great combination going.
"That is what plenty of the winning teams have. You know what they are going to do but you have still got to stop it.
"Certainly the Broncos have got that happening a lot at the moment."
Australian Associated Press
