Carter Gordon lost the "keys", his form and his enjoyment for rugby last year but the Wallabies' No.10 bolter has found them again.
The 22-year-old has been relishing his first Test squad call-up under new coach Eddie Jones.
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Two days into their Gold Coast camp that kick-starts the march to September's World Cup and Jones has made jokes about Gordon's mullet hairstyle while whispering nuggets of wisdom in his ear.
The Melbourne Rebels five-eighth looked the part behind a full-strength pack on Tuesday as the side showed off their "live rugby" approach in a free-flowing session that featured fast offence and constant, aggressive kicking.
Yet a year ago Gordon had been dropped from his battling Super Rugby Pacific side, then recalled but at fullback as he played second fiddle to Matt Toomua.
"I had them," Gordon told AAP of the keys to the Rebels' attack in the previous preseason.
"Yeah it was a tough few weeks (after being dropped), but I didn't put myself in the best position to play well.
"I wasn't as prepared as what I am now.
"I'm getting back to enjoying and playing good rugby ... I think last year I couldn't name a game I thought I'd played well.
"This year I'm in there, getting a say."
Gordon is rooming with veteran halfback Nic White during the camp, which wraps up on Wednesday and is the first under new coach Jones.
"I knew I had to use my voice," he said of the advice he's received in his first international experience.
"You don't have to earn your colours; just come in, do your job and boss the boys around."
The squad, still without official training apparel, won't meet again until the Super Rugby season ends.
Their first Test under Jones is in South Africa on July 8, one of four before they fly to France for the showpiece.
Gordon did his best to put his case forward on Tuesday, ripping passes left and right as Jones watched on in approval.
"Just go out there and play," Gordon said of the directive.
"The squad reacted really well to that; it wasn't frantic and some of the plays I was like, 'Geez that was good'.
"We're looking to score in that block otherwise it gets significantly harder.
"We just want to play live rugby and score as soon as we can."
