On the streets of Marrickville, anything can happen. Just ask Jeff Fenech.

Another Kelly gang might not have gone down too well, especially in NRL circles.

Instead, the kid from Macksville a Bowraville Tigers junior is making a name for himself off the streets and on the training paddock.

Kelly is a secret the Sharks can't keep much longer. And not just because he is one of international Greg Inglis' many cousins.

Still 18, the Sharks wanted to nurse him along this season as a possible long-term replacement for captain and former Test star, Trent Barrett.

Instead, Kelly's astonishing improvement and sleet of foot on the football field is forcing their hands, and the coaching and training staff under head Ricky Stuart have really been ``held up'' by ``kid'' Kelly.

Despite not having played in the NRL, this Kelly has staked his own claim: for a starting spot, possibly at fullback, .

Publicly the Sharks won't say too much about him. But when pressed this week captain Barrett put it simply:

"You see some blokes who are good athletes and you have to turn them into footballers. Well Albert is just one of those rare, natural footballers..

"I think he could be something special. He can play halves or fullback where he has been training and I'm excited about playing with him. He has never played out of his age group before, so we do have bring him along without too much pressure.

"You'd like to bring him into the team on a winning streak, but yeah, the way he's going he could start the season.''

After joining Parramatta two years ago and representing the Australian Schoolboys, injuries prevented Kelly advancing with the Eels.

Kelly admitted living in Marrickville was not the ideal situation, even though another exciting aboriginal footballer in Blake Ferguson was one of his mates.

"I'm much more settled now in Sutherland and training on the coast, a lifestyle like the beach town where I grew up,'' he said.

Kelly admitted he ``struggled'' early with the intensity of the off season training.

"But Ricky has really helped me adapt and had me work hard on my weaknesses and build up (86 kilograms),'' he said.

Kelly grew up with Mal Meninga as his idol, then later, Trent Barrett. "Just training with Trent has been a real eye-opener,'' he said. ``He's been great with the tips on footy in general.''

Of all the accolades, the best came from Stuart himself, when asked how he thought Kelly was going.

Stuart told him he was "overwhelmed'' by his improvement in training.

Barrett said if Kelly could play anything like Inglis, the Sharks were on a winner.

The youngster doesn't want to be known as Greg Inglis' cousin. "We've got lots of cousins,'' he said.

You get the feeling he can make the Kelly name famous again. For all the right reasons.

Sharks fans will see a close to full-strength side play their first trial match at Toyota Stadium next Friday night, February 12, with up to eight of the new buys expected to be chosen.