When 19-year-old Mark McBain took John Connolly's club hooking spot off him at Brothers there was no reason to think that 21 years later he'd also take his cherished Queensland coaching job.
But that's what happened on Monday when the Queensland Rugby Union (QRU) board completed an exhaustive process which terminated Connolly's controversial but impressive 12-year coaching reign with the Reds. In doing so, the board opened the door to McBain, to become only the fourth man in the last 50 years, after Bob Templeton, Jim Kenny and Connolly, to have coached Queensland.
A former schoolteacher and builder who played 67 games for Queensland and seven Tests for Australia, McBain gained his first big break in rugby at Connolly's expense back in 1979.
So there was a certain irony when he succeeded Connolly as Reds coach amid innuendo of a plot to dump the man widely known as "Knuckles". Connolly was also coach and McBain his captain when they teamed up to win a Brisbane premiership for Brothers in 1987.
According to McBain, it was Connolly who first planted the seed in his mind about one day coaching Queensland.
While McBain said he felt for Connolly, he was also thrilled to be chosen to reshape Queensland rugby following continued criticism of Connolly's coaching style, branded too "low risk" and not expansive enough for today's running game.
"I feel for the bloke. I've lost my way at times with selections and things," said McBain. "I sort of know how he feels and it would be a pretty hard thing for him."
McBain said he wouldn't change things "overnight" after Connolly had called the tune at Ballymore for more than a decade.
"I've got my own way, my own personality and the way I want to play it. But I'm not going to change it drastically overnight.
"Obviously you live and die by the way the team plays but we've also got to keep bring players through."
Many observers expected Connolly would hang on yet again despite a Super 12 season where the Reds failed to make the finals. Even Connolly, who loves a bet, was prepared to back himself to survive another challenge.
Right up until the axe fell he believed he had enough support from his players and enough boardroom backing to extend his tenure.
"I thought I'd get back for sure," said a stunned Connolly, claiming he first learned of the QRU's decision from a journalist in the morning.
But Connolly's 68 per cent winning record with the Reds over the past 12 years was not enough to save him this time.
A special technical committee prepared an extensive dossier on each of the final four coaching applicants for the nine-man board, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses.
McBain knows he is jumping into a hot seat with Queensland in the process of rebuilding with a cast of Reds stars poised to hang up their boots or head overseas.
"I feel a little bit of pressure," admitted McBain. "But that will only make me more determined if you know who I am."
Connolly's axing terminates the most successful era by a Queensland coach, his record of 128 wins from 186 a record likely to take some beating. There was very little middle ground with Connolly. You either liked him or loathed him, but he usually got the job done, especially against New South Wales.
His supporters always pulled out his great record whenever there was a suggestion of replacing him. And his critics always countered, saying even the mythical drover's dog could have guided the Reds to victory during an era of champions like Tim Horan, John Eales, David Wilson and Jason Little.
Connolly however is unlikely to be an unemployed coach for very long. It's highly unlikely he would seek the ultimate payback and coach NSW, expected to make a coaching change next season, although he hinted today he would consider the job it approached.
More than likely, Connolly will land a job coaching in Europe or in the Currie Cup in South Africa where Natal have already made overtures to sign him.
Brought to you by AAP