"I have no idea," Davis says with a laugh.

For her part, Tungai doesn't always know either but the Shellharbour product has shown enough for her teammates to know they should never look away.

The Jillaroos first try at October's World 9s was a case in point, with Tungai - at full pace - somehow threading the needle on a pinpoint banana kick for the opening try of the tournament.

Davis proved the beneficiary, grabbing her first four-pointer in Jillaroos colours, but even she was left marvelling at the ease with which Tungai put it on a platter.

"It was my first try for the Jillaroos but it was pretty much Shak's try I think," Davis said.

"She's just unreal with the things that she can do. You just never know what she's going to do but you're just always being aware she's going to pull something off."

It was a play that most people would only try at the local park, not Bankwest Stadium, but Tungai says the key to her rapid rise up the Jillaroos ranks has been treating both patches of turf the same.

"Honestly, I'm just playing footy, eyes up footy," Tungai said ahead of her return to the Nines format with the Dragons on Friday.

"I just saw Keeley and Izzy [Isabelle Kelly] on the inside and with them there I had the option of putting the kick through. I'm never really in two minds, whatever I see in front of me I just do.

"I just play backyard footy and do whatever I would do anywhere, no matter what level I'm playing. I'd do it in local footy, I'd do it against my siblings, I won't really change try game too much.

"I take each game like I'm playing locally. Going into games it's always the same, same game, same mindset, nothing really changes for me."

Except it has. Her mindset might stay the same but, where once she was turning a few dozen heads at Noel Mulligan Oval, she's now producing the same plays on the biggest stage - be it for the Dragons, NSW or Australia.

She did the latter for the first time in memorable fashion in October, scoring a try and nailing four goals on Test debut at WIN Stadium in a 28-8 win over the Kiwi Ferns.

It capped a remarkable rise, one she's barely had time to reflect on before throwing herself back into camp with the Dragons after being awarded one of 20 marquee contracts by the NRL for this season.

"It's crazy, it was a such great year last year," Tungai said.

"Coming off that bit of off time we've had I've reflected and just thought 'wow, what a good year'. It's exciting playing at that level and I definitely hope to be up there for years to come.

"I'm really excited to put on the Dragons jersey back on again and it's always exciting to play the Nines format as well. The World Cup last year was the first time playing it at the elite level for me.

"I feel like it really suits my game and hopefully this week at the Nines I can do the same sort of thing."