Unwanted at Manly and signed as a back-up option for the Rabbitohs last year on a cut-price deal, Humphreys looms as the steal of the season at South Sydney.
Fresh off keeping $700,000 English playmaker Lewis Dodd in the Rabbitohs' reserve-grade side, Humphreys nailed the season's first match-winning field goal against St George Illawarra on Saturday.
Humphreys has never doubted he is ready to play in the NRL, declaring he wanted to be the Rabbitohs halfback immediately after his one game for Manly last season.
But after signing for Souths weeks before that debut, the playmaker looked to be long odds of fulfilling that goal, with Dodd already locked in for 2025 and Lachlan Ilias still on the Rabbitohs' books.
The 23-year-old then spent the summer training everywhere from the halves to hooker to lock under Wayne Bennett, before impressing in limited time during the Charity Shield.
And while he got his chance when Dodd was suspended for round one, an undermanned South Sydney have now gone 2-0 with Humphreys pulling the strings.
"I definitely backed myself coming here," Humphreys said.
"It was something I saw before coming here as a goal, and something I want to continue to build on now.
"I had conversations with Wayne about where he saw me, and he didn't close the door on anything.
"I feel really confident with where I'm at right now, and hopefully can keep leading the boys around the park."
The most striking aspect of Humphreys' start has been his composure, with the Rabbitohs noting a maturity well beyond the half's three NRL games.
The No.7 has led Souths' general-play kicking, won two games with his goal-kicking, and barely looked fussed as he nailed Saturday's 30-metre field goal.
"I moved around positions there for a while at Manly, and I always felt the most comfortable at seven," Humphreys said.
"I definitely got a fair bit of experience out of that time in (NSW) Cup, and it's something I've taken into my time here.
"But it's probably more the training. I've been around a lot of good players as well for a long time, (including) Daly Cherry Evans, Kieran Foran, Luke Brooks, Cody Walker.
"All those great halves that probably rubbed off a lot on me, and lessons I've taken from them probably give me a lot of confidence as well."
So has Saturday's match-winning field goal lit the fuse for more time in the fabled Rabbitohs No.7 jersey?
"One hundred per cent it has," Humphreys said.
"I just want to keep winning, I'm a pretty competitive guy, and I know these other guys are as well.
"I want to keep getting better each week, and hopefully that continues to lead to good performances and good wins for Souths."
Meanwhile, Bunnies lock Lachlan Hubner looks set to miss the club's next two matches after being hit with a grade-two crusher tackle charge following Saturday's win over the Dragons.
20°C