The bright lights of Dubai is a long way from Erub but Wallace Charlie is built for the big stage, ready to make an impact for the Australia Sevens.
Charlie is set for his first full season in the program after being rushed into the squad for the Los Angeles Grand Final last year.
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The 19-year-old originates from a small island in the Torres Strait, also known as Darnely Island, and moved to Cairns when he was a child.
He was spotted shortly afterwards and announced himself last year at the Global Youth Sevens in Auckland.
Charlie lit up the tournament with his dazzling speed and footwork, claiming MVP as the Australia U18s took out the title.
Head coach Liam Barry would invite him to train with the group, and his explosiveness impressed enough for a call-up.
"I came in just to make numbers for the boys before LA, and I was training really well. 'Baz' then took me aside and asked me if I could meet him in the office, and I thought I was in trouble," Charlie recalled to Rugby.com.au about finding out he was debuting.
"I was really nervous, and then he asked me if I had my passport because we want to take you to LA... Obviously, I was pretty stoked to find that out, and everything happened so fast.
"Global Youth [Sevens] happened a couple months before that so just finishing that and then coming to train with the boys and heading to LA was just an unreal opportunity and it's just a surreal experience.
"I called the family group chat and told everyone who was just really stoked, pretty emotional for them being one of the first out of my family to get out of the country as well."
For the teenager, the experience of Sevens brings him back to his roots of throwing the ball around in North Queensland with his family.
"With seven players on the field, [there's] heaps of space and it goes back to when I used to play with my cousins and my older brothers just playing backyard footy," Charlie said.
"When I come to Sevens, I feel like I'm playing backyard footy again which is awesome."
Charlie's talent extends beyond the seven-a-side game, starring for the Western Force in Super Rugby U19s.
It led the club to offer him a contract for the 2027 season after he finishes his stint with the Sevens program.
"Perth have a really good group of boys there, with a couple of local boys and boys from around Queensland and New South Wales, that's over there as well. I think when we all come together in Perth, it makes us all feel like we're all brothers," Charlie believes.
"Everything just feels really easy when you can just rely on them as well. I think because I went to boarding school through my senior year of school, being away from family was a bit hard. When I went over to Perth straight away and just getting around the boys and them getting around me, it just felt like boarding school all over again, basically."
Charlie has a big year on the horizon, starting with his time in Sevens as they prepare for a double header in Dubai and Cape Town.
His eyes are firmly set on February's home event in Perth, where he also has family to support him.
There's also the chance to follow in the footsteps of teammate Aden Ekanayake and feature for Australia U20s at the World Championships.
"I think the main focus for the end of 2025 heading into 2026 is to sharpen my skills under Liam Barry and 'Fraze' [assistant coach Shannon Fraser along with guys such as 'Moz' [Maurice Longbottom] and Henry Hutchison," Charlie said.
"I think my skill sets can go further in my rugby and also my fitness. I think the boys are getting around me and my fitness, and they're like pushing me to work harder. All of that will benefit me when I transition back to fifteens.
"[Playing at home] would be a really cool opportunity on home soil, being one of the First Nations kids growing up here to pull on the gold jersey. I've made a lot of mates over in Perth and family friends, so I think it'd be really good if I could play in front of them and rep my culture as well.
