Be it at Stadium Australia on a cold and wet night in front of a the tragics or at the MCG in front of the world on rugby league's biggest stage, every eye will always be on Latrell Mitchell.
It was like that all through the lead-up to South Sydney's clash with Brisbane and continued through just about every step of the Rabbitohs' 22-12 victory.
Mitchell's chances of earning a State of Origin recall for New South Wales was the lens through which everything was viewed, as these games can be sometimes.
In all likelihood, Mitchell only had to get through the game unscathed to reclaim a Blues spot. He did far more than that in a game that always felt totally in his orbit.
Mitchell barged over for a try in the first half and delivered a nice cut-out pass for an Alex Johnston try in the second stanza, both of which he's done plenty of times before.
He also stayed involved throughout the match and was a constant attacking presence on the ball, which doesn't happen as often. Mitchell's averaged 116 metres a game this year. Against Brisbane, he'd knocked that over by the 50th minute.
In recent weeks, Mitchell has been kicking the ball more. It's an easy way to keep him dialled in to South Sydney's attacking rhythms without emptying his gas tank – and the strikes, for the most part, have been intelligent and well timed.
Mitchell wasn't perfect. There was one clearing kick that went out on the full and a stint in the sin-bin for being the third man into a scuffle, but on the whole he looked a lot more like the destroyer of worlds his state has been praying for.
The whole match — like much of Mitchell's play since his return from suspension a few weeks back — was a reminder that, if he wants, there's nothing Mitchell really can't do with a ball in his hands. He is a footballer before he's an athlete and he's already a rather incredible athlete.
That's the difference between Mitchell and the other candidates to replace Joseph Sua'ali'I in Michael Maguire's side for Origin II.
With respect to Bradman Best, Jesse Ramien and Kotoni Staggs, who toiled hard in a side that's stuck in a funk right now, that's why this spot was always Mitchell's to lose. He's an easy player to dream on and even easier to get totally carried away with.
No player in the league — not even Nathan Cleary or Reece Walsh, who round out the league's holy trinity of biggest stars — inspire such rapturous praise or vehement criticism, and nobody bounces between the two with such breakneck speed as Mitchell.
It's been that way nearly his whole career and it's happened so many times it's a wonder his head doesn't spin.
That's why, in the space of just a few weeks, he's gone from the face of the Rabbitohs slump that has cost Jason Demetriou his job, to the one leading the cardinal and myrtle revival and being a potential saviour for the Blues.
Interim Souths coach Ben Hornby was peppered with questions about Mitchell and his Origin prospects at the post-match press conference.
He backed Mitchell to make a successful return, as he did before Game I, but made sure to stress the win was a team effort — and he was right.
Cody Walker is playing with plenty of the creativity we have come to know. Damien Cook has rediscovered his zip after a tough start to the season, and a move to the middle has done wonders for Keaon Koloamatangi.
The Rabbitohs are getting more effort out of their entire squad, from the stars right down to mature-age rookie Jacob Gagai who's chase on Ezra Mam in the first half will be a highlight for Souths.
But in the time of year when rugby league transforms from a team game into an individual sport, this was always going to be about Mitchell.
Should he be selected for Melbourne, which feels inevitable at this point, Mitchell will have plenty to prove in Origin II. Usually, that's when he does some of his best work.
He's only pulled on the blue jersey four times in the past five years and not once since his incredible efforts in the 2021 series. Despite making his New South Wales debut six years ago, he's played for the state just seven times.
His absence has only burnished his legend. He's never played in a losing series — something few current Blues can boast — and because he is Latrell Mitchell he carries an aura which can heighten expectation to superhuman levels but also inspire more from his teammates and fear in his opponents.
If Maguire does take the plunge, Mitchell will dominate the lead-up to the match. Even at Origin level, everything and everyone seems to move only in his orbit.
It remains to be seen if that will be enough for the Blues. Mitchell is not infallible and there are limits to the impact he can have on a match at centre.
There are plenty of other selection calls to be thrashed out over the weekend – like the halves and the bench and how to make Jake Trbojevic the player exist alongside Jake Trbojevic the captain.
But no matter what, the talk will be about Mitchell, what he can bring, what he might do and how he will hold the result in his hands. It wasn't so long ago that Mitchell was down so low he was overlooked for State of Origin entirely. Now he's the sky blue Messiah.
It's happened very quickly and Mitchell knows better than anyone how quickly it can change again. By know he must know everyone is always watching.