It was all too brief but their instant on-field connection was hard to miss.
In just two and a bit games before Blake Green's season was cruelly ended by a ruptured ACL injury in August last year, the veteran playmaker and dynamic fullback Kalyn Ponga seemingly struck up an immediate chemistry.
It produced a try for Ponga in just their first game together off an inside ball from Green with the promise of more to come between the pair before injury intervened. But the connection is still apparent, albeit on the training paddock, as they slog away together on the long road back from serious surgeries, Green on his knee and Ponga his shoulder.
For more than two months, it has been just the two of them working on their fitness up and down the field, monotonously putting kilometres in their legs as they work towards their much-anticipated comebacks.
"There is a footy in hand every so often but it's hard work," Ponga admits.
While they are not exactly the Odd Couple, at 34, Green is 12-years Ponga's senior.
He's also a real footy head who loves constantly talking about the game in contrast to his younger teammate.
"That's a myth about KP. He actually really likes footy and knows a lot about it and is really smart about it,"Green says. "He's just got interests on the outside which is great because he's got a good balance there at the moment. When it's time to talk footy, he knows exactly what we are talking about and I'd like to think he enjoys talking about it with me."
But Green also knows when to tone it down.
"I've got a good feel for him now," he says. "I know when to shut up if it's too much footy talk and he's not really in the mood for it. But when he's in the zone, he can talk it just as well as I can, don't worry. It's been really good actually and refreshing for me to hang around someone who is just so energetic about footy and life in general. I enjoy all that stuff and it's been great to spend some time with him actually.
"I like talking about the stuff the younger blokes are into because it makes me feel young again and brings back memories of what it was like for me when I was coming through. That's been cool."
The benefits work both ways according to Ponga.
"Greeny does enjoy talking footy but it's not at a rapid rate," he said. "You learn so much just talking to him and hanging with him.
"When I was that kid coming through, it's not that you don't care about it as much but you just went out and played. It's obviously far more important now and a huge focus in my life."
While their much-anticipated returns are still at least a few weeks away, they can both see the rehab finish line.
"It hasn't worn me down enough to be sick of it and throw the towel in, that's for sure," Green said. "I'm just keen to get back and play some footy with this bloke [Ponga] and the rest of the boys."
