And if Cronulla continues their come-from-behind stand this season and manages to make the 2010 NRL finals, the rumble in jungle will be heard from Aiton's village near Hagen in the highlands of Papua New Guinea and all the way to the beaches of Cronulla.

"It would be amazing back home if that happened,'' Aiton said, still referring to his birthplace where his grandmother is a respected tribal elder and his uncles and cousins still live.

"Each time I go back it is pretty crazy.''

The young hooker is a hero to thousands upon thousands of fanatical league supporters in a country which has a bidding team under league official and former coach Paul Broughton, and government support for their own team in the NRL.

A regular member of the country's Kumuls squad since 2004, Aiton was named PNG's 2008 player of the year, leading the way in his nation's spirited performances at the 2008 World Cup.

Aiton and other NRL stars such as the Dragons' Neville Costigan in the visiting Prime Minister's 13 each year "try out'' for the PNG State of Origin side in a game between the PNG Internationals and the PNG Residents.

"The locals always want to prove a point that they are as good as the NRL boys. The game is a sell-out and normally there are only a few points in it,'' Aiton said.

Aiton's status in his homeland has grown in line with the improvement in his own game since coming to the Sharks from Penrith last year.

It is no coincidence that the Sharks' improved form over the past three weeks, heralded by the 42-18 thumping of the Roosters on Saturday, has seen Aiton, who just turned 25, stamp his mark around the ruck area and dummy half.

Aiton left Papua New Guinea when he was five, coming to Caboolture, Queensland, with his parents and four younger brothers and sisters so his dad could receive treatment for tuberculosis.

No-one in the family spoke English and for a boy used to seeing and killing them, the (Caboolture) Snakes were a ``natural'' as a start-up junior league club.

Learning English was a harder task. ``I remember the school was a bit worried about me because they told my parents not to talk my native language [Pigeon English] with me around the house,'' he said.

They didn't for the next 10 years. "But I still speak it,'' Aiton laughed.

"After all I still go back home.''

His return to Hagen followed him being chosen in the Queensland juniors and a contract with Penrith.

It seemed all the tribes knew he was coming to his grandfather's village, Ogulup.

As the first child born in his family, Aiton was carried from tribe to tribe by villagers dressed in full costume, including feathers, all happy and some crying. The entire road was blocked.

"I was dressed up the next day and took part in a march through the villages, with men carrying spears. It was amazing,'' Aiton said.

"I went on a hunt and had to kill a wild pig, then I was presented to the moo-moo [village feast] where eight pigs and 60 chickens and eight boxes of lamb flaps were on the menu.''

Back in Sydney and despite injuries, Aiton was one of Penrith's best NRL players last year and the Sharks made him a good offer for 2010. Ricky Stuart, while coaching Australia in the Centenary World Cup, had been impressed with Aiton playing for Papua New Guinea.

Aiton surprised at pre-season training when he revealed he played half of last year's season for Penrith without one of his main knee ligaments.

He underwent surgery with a difference to repair his right knee, with the Achilles tendon successfully transplanted from a deceased person.

Aiton also took a chance to go back to Hagen.

"I think I've converted them from following the Panthers,'' he said of the three-day visit where he revealed that the State of Origin is fought with the same intensity as in Australia.

"They played a league game, the teams dressed in blue and maroon jumpers on a small field, surrounded by thousands of villagers. I kicked off. It was very humbling.

"There was a commentator on a small box and he spoke in Pigeon.''

Afterwards, the Cronulla Sharks star signing was hauled up on the box to answer questions from dozens of players and fans.

That was another wonderful day for the New Guinean league die-hards and for Paul Aiton.

He needed his Pigeon English and he didn't miss a beat.