Valentine Holmes has been described as the "silent assassin" as he clocks up points in all arenas like Steve Smith scores runs in Test cricket.
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The Queensland centre and goalkicker reached 100 points in State of Origin football in the 32-6 win over NSW in Brisbane, just a fortnight before Smith played his 100th Test match for Australia at Headingley.
Holmes, 27, is now fourth on the all-time list for Origin points with 108. He also has 13 tries, making him the third highest try-scorer in Origin history behind Maroons greats Greg Inglis (18) and Darius Boyd (17).
No other player is in the top four for both – a remarkable achievement.
Holmes went past Maroons legend Dale 'Rowdy' Shearer's former long-standing record of 12 Origin tries when he scored a double in game two of this year's series.
"Val is playing with confidence and is hungry. He reads the game so well which is important in scoring tries," Shearer told AAP.
"I think he will get Greg's record for sure. Val probably has five years left in him and the way he's going you'd think he'd score at least one try each series.
"It was nice to have the record for so long but they all started scoring tries during that Queensland dynasty (from 2006-2013). It is good to see."
Holmes is fresh from a club-record 30 points for North Queensland in the 74-0 win over Wests Tigers – including two tries and 11 goals – but is not resting on his laurels.
"I've kind of changed the way I kick the ball now and it's something I've been working on," Holmes told AAP after the Tigers win.
"I get my kicks filmed by (Cowboys assistant coach) Steve Georgallis to make sure I hit them well.
"I try and watch all of my kicks. Something I've really worked on is the steps in the build up to the kick and how I finish.
"I feel like I'm coming around the ball a bit better now."
On the Origin all-time points-scoring list only Johnathan Thurston (220), Mal Meninga (161) and Michael O'Connor (129) are ahead of him.
Thurston reached his 220 points in 37 games, while Holmes has his 108 in just 16.
"To get 100 for Queensland is special, that's for sure," Holmes said.
"To be compared with those guys ... it's a pretty elite group to be a part of. Hopefully I can put a few more points up there."
Holmes was deep in conversation with Shearer in Maroons camp on Thursday and he is rightly proud to be a member of such an elite try-scoring cartel.
"It's awesome," Holmes said.
"They're probably some of the best finishers at Origin, Australian or club level. Being in the same vein as guys that can pull something out of nothing is pretty cool.
"I've been fortunate to also play wing and had some talented players setting me up."
Holmes has been just as impressive in the NRL for the Cowboys.
In 2022 he finished at the top of the point-scorers list with 244, setting a club record in the process.
"Val is the silent assassin," former Maroons forward and 2003 premiership winner Scott Sattler told AAP.
"He is quiet off the field, but when he gets on the field he turns into this silky beast that is Steve Renouf-like. He is like velvet and just so smooth with everything he does.
"Pearl (Renouf) was the same. On the field they are ultimate athletes.
"His strike of the ball is beautiful when he kicks for goal and he has a wonderful ability to finish tries."
North Queensland coach Todd Payten said Holmes' success was linked to another key ingredient.
"Val just loves the big occasion," Payten told AAP.
"He loves big games. He loves big crowds. He likes the ball in his hands in the big moments.
"Val has kicked field goals to win us games a couple of times at the death. He kicked a penalty after the siren (against Wests Tigers) last year to get us a win. He has this really cool demeanour when other guys don't want the ball to come their way."
Maroons coach Billy Slater, who played alongside Holmes at Origin level, pointed to the team-first mentality that Holmes brought to the side when he asked him to play right centre when he usually plays on the left for the Cowboys.
"I asked him at the start of this series if he wouldn't mind playing (centre) on the other side of the field to accommodate Hammer's (Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow's) preferred side," Slater recalled.
"Without hesitation he said, 'No worries. I will do that for you and the team'. That is the kind of guy Val is. He is playing as good as I have seen him this year. He has taken that form back to the Cowboys, which is fantastic."