Cameron McInnes claims he always felt like a natural lock playing in the hooker jersey, with the Cronulla star feeling more at home wearing No.13.
McInnes is expected to start at lock for the first time since joining the Sharks when they face Manly on Thursday night, with Dale Finucane likely to be out.
A hooker for the first six years of his NRL career, McInnes excelled so much at dummy-half that he was at one point on the fringes of NSW State of Origin selection.
But the 28-year-old did it all while always believing he would one day be a better lock.
A five-eighth and No.13 in junior football, he was moved to dummy-half about age 15 in South Sydney's representative programs.
But he still played lock in club football on weekends, and one day believed he could return to the role depending on game style in the NRL.
"I'm definitely more comfortable at lock than hooker," McInnes told AAP.
"When people ask me and I say that they seem surprised.
"Or I read things with people saying he will have to move to middle like it's a burden, but it's not.
"I actually really enjoy it and it's where I want to be."
McInnes came off the bench in his first few games at Souths in 2014, but was happy to focus on his work out of dummy-half to ensure more game time.
At the time the game was more centred around having three big middles, with Sam Burgess the Rabbitohs main No.13 with slower ruck speeds and less fatigue.
McInnes then became St George Illawarra's first-choice hooker in 2017 as part one of the competition's most dangerous spines, before a shift to lock began in mid-2020.
He was brought to Cronulla to play lock with Blayke Brailey the club's full-time 80-minute hooker, allowing McInnes to spend the pre-season training at lock before coming off the bench in recent weeks.
And with the game now suited towards ball-playing No.13s, McInnes is certain the time is right for him to be considered a full-time lock.
"I feel a bit more freedom playing lock," McInnes said.
"I think it suits the way I play a bit more.
"I am probably more of a head-down player (in attack)), whereas at hooker the team needs you to be scanning.
"In 2020 I played a lot of lock, but we were shifting things. And I loved playing it, but I was sort of just playing footy.
"But I have been able to work on a lot of things this year."
