Queensland's leaping winger Xavier Coates credits his triple-jump background as the key to the heights he can reach in the air.
For Maroons second-rower Jeremiah Nanai, also a master at bomb retrieval, it is youthful days spent playing volleyball and trying to emulate basketball legend LeBron James that he credits for his aerial supremacy.
Nanai, who stands at 186cm, and Coates (194cm) are two of the best leapers in the NRL and their recall for game two of the State of Origin series against NSW at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday night has given Queensland a potent attacking threat on the right side.
Halves Cameron Munster and Daly Cherry-Evans are preparing for a bombing raid on the Blues.
"It is a one-two punch," Cherry-Evans said of Nanai and Coates.
"Me and Munster are already working on our kicking games. We are having a closer look at our kicking game and with Xavier and Jeremiah coming in, it would be silly of us not to target them. We have to play to our strengths."
Nanai, who missed Queensland's 26-18 win in Adelaide due to suspension, has been a revelation in the NRL for North Queensland with his ability to score tries off bombs.
He says trying to copy the NBA's all-time highest points scorer James as a youth gave him a flying start.
"The guys I looked up to were LeBron James and (LA Clippers forward) Paul George," Nanai told AAP.
"I'd go to a park, find a hoop and get inspired after watching them. I've always loved other sports.
"Where did the jumping come from? I'd put it all down to volleyball and basketball, where you do a lot of it.
"Coates can jump very high ... and stay up there too. We will have to communicate who will be going for the high balls. When the ball lands one of us is going to be there."
Coates played Origin I last year but missed the rest of the series with an ankle injury.
He has returned to the Maroons side for the injured Selwyn Cobbo after a strong season at club level with Melbourne.
The 22-year-old attended Marymount College on the Gold Coast with visions of being an Olympian and representing his country of birth, Papua New Guinea.
"I was a long jumper and a triple-jumper and since the age of 10 I was into sprint training," Coates told AAP.
"That (leaping) all developed with my training. The more jumps you do, the better you become at it and it slowly turned from athletics to rugby league.
"Being able to get up high is an asset in my game that I try and use as a strength.
"Jeremiah's jumping ability is freakish. He is such as skilful athlete. Any opportunity we get on that right edge, we are going to take."
