Sensational: Eels winger Bevan French scored three tries against the Sharks. Credit:Mark Metcalfe

"I went to see the junior Tingha teams and watched all my relatives out there playing," joked French, whose blazing hat-trick took his tally to seven tries from just four NRL games, matched only by code-hopper Folau since the turn of the century. "I saw all the little kids and it was fantastic and it was good to get home and see everyone."

French's famous relatives Nathan Blacklock and Preston Campbell have been sounding boards, but even they weren't blessed with the raw speed of the Eels flyer who announced his arrival at this year's Auckland Nines.

Parramatta coach Brad Arthur hinted at the time he would keep the ace in cotton wool this season, but after only a handful of National Youth Competition games French is being groomed as Roosters-bound Michael Gordon's long-term replacement at No.1.

"[Gordon] is very helpful," French said. "Every training session we do a few extras together and he's very good with my positioning and things like that. Personally I'd like to play fullback, but now I'm just starting off on the wing and starting to get a feel for the physicality.