Delving back through the archives, QRL Media has uncovered the earliest mentions of Greg Inglis in match reports for the former Queensland Cup - now the Intrust Super Cup.
The excerpts reveal just how much of a revelation the Queensland skipper was when he started taking on adult opposition.
Among the highlights were:
• Inglis debuting for the Norths Devils in the Queensland Cup in Round 7 of the 2004 season, named in the centres opposite Wynnum Manly pair Greg Bourke and Simon Phillips, both of whom had played NRL by that point in time.
• As a 17-year-old schoolboy Inglis scored two tries that day. He was awarded the full three points in the QANTAS Player of the Year voting, despite vying with Norths teammates including Rodney Howe, Jake Webster, Antonio Kaufusi, Cooper Cronk, Fifita Moala, Dustin Cooper, Jeremy Smith and Glen Turner.
• Inglis had a few weeks' break after his debut due to junior representative commitments. He returned to the competition with four tries against an Easts team that contained former Australian Test player Darren Smith.
• In 2004 Inglis played 6 Queensland Cup games (including 2 finals), scored 8 tries and kicked 6 goals.
• In 2004 he also scored 14 tries and 42 goals in Colts (Under 19s) for Norths. In his Colts debut he scored three tries against Redcliffe. He scored a try and six goals as Norths won the Colts grand final 48-6 v Easts.
• In 2005 Inglis played 12 Queensland Cup games, scored 18 tries and kicked 39 goals.
• Inglis represented Queensland Under 17 in 2004 and Queensland Under 19 in 2005. He scored two tries and three goals for QLD U19 in a 42-12 win against New South Wales at Suncorp Stadium. Both tries were eye-catching and came at vital times.
• In 2005 Inglis won the Courier-Mail Best and Fairest award for the best player in QLD's South East Division. He also finished on 20 points in the QANTAS Player of the Year award (for all Queensland Cup clubs) despite playing roughly half a season. Ipswich's Ricky Bird won with 31 votes.
• The first time Greg Inglis was ever mentioned in a Queensland Cup match report he didn't even play! Instead his mention was in early 2004 when he had scored three tries for Norths Colts (under 19s) in the curtain-raiser. It was the second time in five games he had completed a hat-trick.
A full reprint of the first mention in 2004 is below:
NORTHS has returned to the winner's circle with a 42-16 triumph over Central, but the spotlight shifted to lower grades, where Devils officials lauded the arrival of the ''next David Peachey''.
A week after fumbling to a sound defeat at the hands of Toowoomba, Norths turned in their best display of the season thus far, storming home at Bishop Park after leading just 18-12 at halftime.
New halves pairing Aaron Kuskey and Brent Mulholland, both 18, showed great promise behind a dominant Devils pack, led by Dallas Johnson, Jeremy Smith, Robert Tanielu and Anthony Boyd.
In a departure from the norm however, head coach Gary Greinke nominated the highlight of the day as the effort of 17-year-old colts fullback Greg Inglis.
Inglis scored three tries as the Devils' under-19s beat Runaway Bay 76-10, impressing all with his rangy style.
''He looks and plays like David Peachey and he could very well be just as good,'' Greinke said.
''Greg played for New South Wales Combined Catholic Colleges last year and we've brought him up from down there.
''I dare say he'll get a game in Queensland Cup before the end of the year.''
In a good day for the club across the board, Norths also won Mixwell Cup 84-0 against Runaway Bay.
The following year, three games into the 2005 season, Inglis had scored seven tries at Intrust Super Cup level:
HE all but makes those around him want to apologise, yet Norths wunderkind Greg Inglis continues to give reason for repetitive praise.
Coach Wayne Treleaven was almost contrite in addressing Inglis's latest heroics – two spectacular tries in a 30-12 win against Ipswich on Sunday.
With the heat taking its toll on the Devils' large forwards and Ipswich gaining the upper hand, Inglis posted two long-range efforts to electrify the Bishop Park crowd.
His efforts helped Norths to a 10-6 halftime lead, from where they went on to steamroll the Jets.
"Pretty much all that kept us in the first 40minutes of the game were Greg's tries," a subdued Treleaven said.
"It was very hot again and he just about ran 100m on one of those, then 50 for the other. There was a bit of work for him to do in both.
"We were just lucky they (Ipswich) didn't get across the line on a couple of occasions when they could have."
So far Inglis has scored seven tries in the first three rounds of the Queensland Cup, with an NRL debut surely looming close on the horizon.
Another with a bright future, five-eighth Brent Mulholland arguably posted the pivotal try of the match, scoring just two minutes into the second half.
Making headway, Norths crossed the line three more times to put the game beyond doubt by the 70th minute. North Queensland product Col Wilkie scored a double of his own.
Treleaven said "patience and perseverance" had ultimately won the contest, spoiling Ipswich skipper Danny Coburn's 150th game celebrations.
Prop Jamie McDonald toiled hard in the conditions for Norths, while Ricky Bird, Steele Retchless and Coburn led the way for the Jets.
NORTHS 30 (Greg Inglis 2, Col Wilkie 2, Josh Graham, Brent Mulholland tries; Steve Irwin 3 goals) beat IPSWICH 12 (Andy Poynter, Marcus Jensen tries; Brendon Lindsay 2 goals).
A match report later that season described his key hand in defeating Wynnum:
Greg Inglis has landed the knockout blow for Norths at Kougari Oval, scoring with two minutes on the clock as the Devils beat a dogged Wynnum outfit 28-24.
Marking his 15th try in seven Queensland Wizard Cup appearances this season, Inglis handled twice in the game-deciding play, amending an otherwise subdued performance from the freakish talent.
Wynnum played without enforcer Craig 'Knuckles' Greenhill and Brett Simmonds due to midweek suspensions, delving further into an already depleted roster.
But despite calling on the likes of Peter Penaia - a reserve in Mixwell Cup just a month ago - the Seagulls gave great value to spectators and viewers of the ABC live telecast.
Behind 14-4 at halftime, the home side worked back to be 22-14 in front. Once nominated as 'League's Strongest Man', Penaia actually contributed towards the resurgence with his strong running, before falling short on match fitness.
Once more, Norths was close to full strength and with more than half of the Devils boasting NRL experience, they proved hard to put away.
Building on yardage gained up the middle through the likes of Jamie McDonald, outside men Cooper Cronk and Josh Graham scored crucial tries to put their side back in the contest.
Both in top form of late and members of the Melbourne Storms' top squad, Cronk and Graham overshadowed Inglis until his heroics at the death.
Inglis interweaved with his winger Ryan Shortland before crossing the stripe in typical laidback fashion.
Norths now has just one loss to six wins in its 2005 campaign and sits second on the table.
Conversely Wynnum is eighth, having failed in an attempt to clinch back-to-back wins after a promising victory against North Queensland in Round Seven.
NORTHS 28 (Josh Graham 2, Chad Leech, Cooper Cronk, Greg Inglis tries; Greg Inglis 2 goals)
beat WYNNUM 24 (Damien Quinn 2, Simon Phillips, Gary Winter tries; Damien Quinn 4 goals).
