Raiders recruitment chief Peter Mulholland says it is only a matter of time before PNG sensation Kato Ottio lives his dream of playing in the NRL.
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Ottio has lit up the second-tier NSW Cup with a swag of acrobatic finishes and high takes to score 10 tries in the opening six games for Mounties.
That has included five tries in the past fortnight for the powerfully-built 21-year-old winger.
Ottio has impressed everyone at the Raiders since he arrived on a train and trial deal late last year.
He secured a two-year contract on the back of a strong pre-season and was rewarded with a spot in the squad for the Auckland Nines.
Asked if Ottio was on the verge of making his first-grade debut, Mulholland said: "I think it's getting close.
"I think every game he plays, he improves.
"He's come down here hoping he would play Ron Massey Cup at Mounties this year and he's started in every game in the NSW Cup and he went OK in his stint at the Nines.
"I think it's not if, it's when."
Ottio will have to be patient before he is given a crack in first-grade.
Queensland Emerging Origin squad member Edrick Lee and Jordan Rapana have started the season in strong form on the wing for the Raiders.
Brenko Lee has been called up this season to play in the centres when Joey Leilua served a two-game suspension.
Fiji international Sisa Waqa remains in the mix to return to first-grade before he leaves the club at the end of June to take up a contract with French rugby union club FC Grenoble.
The Raiders haven't ruled out recruiting another outside back before the June 30 deadline for mid-season transfers, but they are confident in Ottio's ability if injuries strike.
He needs to fine-tune his defensive reads as a winger having played most of last season in the second-row with the PNG Hunters in the Queensland Cup.
"It's just game knowledge and that's only going to come with playing more footy," Mulholland said.
"At this stage, he's more than likely, if you stuck him into first grade now, he's not going to learn as much as he would in reserve grade.
"It's all through experience."
Last year was Ottio's first full season playing rugby league.
"He's put up with a lot, he lived at the AIS by himself, he was a bit homesick before Christmas, he went home over Christmas and he's come back," Mulholland said.
"His whole thing is based on his desire to make his family and his village proud.
"You've got to have project players in your club.
"It's like any junior you train and bring up full-time, it's about where we see him in the future and how he will add to our roster in two or three years' time."
