The Tuggeranong flyer who went from second grade to the world sevens series

And if you're wondering just how quick he is, Palmer is hot on the heels of Corey Toole - one of the fastest players in any of Australia's football codes.

"I've definitely had a few one-on-ones with Tooley, and I'd say we're close," Palmer said. "He's still got the edge on me now, but I reckon in a few years I might get him. He's rapid."

Palmer returned to the John I Dent Cup with the Tuggeranong Vikings against Canberra Royals at Phillip Oval on Saturday, having spent the majority of the year with the Australian sevens team.

Wind back to last year and you would have found him on the wing in second grade, but he has spent the past six months pushing for a place in the Australian side for the Paris Olympic Games.

Now he is in the running for the world sevens rookie of the year award, vying with France superstar Antoine Dupont and South African flyer Quewin Nortje for the prize.

The return of a handful of Super Rugby stars - including ACT Brumbies flyer Toole and NRL-bound winger Mark Nawaqanitawase - means Palmer could be forced out of the Olympic squad.

But Palmer's is a name to remember. He ran the 100m in 10.6 seconds during his final year of school at Hamilton Boys in New Zealand. Last year he covered 10.3 metres per second over 40 metres and joined the Brumbies on a tour of Japan.

"Probably a week after I got back, I got a call from John Manenti asking if I was free to go into camp for a few weeks leading into Dubai and Cape Town. It kind of just took off from there," Palmer said.

"If you'd have told me this time last year that I would have played a full year of sevens and been nominated for rookie of the year, I'd tell you you're dreaming. Now that I've done it, it's pretty nuts, seeing some of the relationships I've made with some childhood heroes and just the learnings I've had over the year.

"It's pretty surreal playing second grade one year to playing in the sevens series the next. It's pretty nuts."

Palmer has gone from Viking Park to playing in Hong Kong, Vancouver, Cape Town, Perth and Dubai with the Australian sevens side, scoring 15 tries in 34 appearances.

"Playing-wise, playing South Africa in Cape Town in a quarter-final, that will stay with me forever," Palmer said.

"Playing them at home in a packed stadium, it was pretty surreal, especially beating them at home. Feeling the energy of the crowd disappear was quite nuts, I'd never felt that before.

"The best place off the field was probably Perth, just with Scarborough beach and the time I got to spend with the boys before each game. It's a bit funny because it's still in Australia, but it's probably one of the better places I've been to."

Should Palmer miss the Australian squad for the Olympics, he would be a huge inclusion for a Vikings outfit desperate to claim their first John I Dent Cup premiership since 2018.

"It's always good being back in Vikings and just playing some club footy, being able to run around and have some fun," Palmer said. "Not saying sevens isn't fun, but it's just a different level and more relaxed."