Mac Wright went from the coastal town of Pambula to rubbing shoulders with Michael Hussey and Jacques Kallis in the lead-up to the Sydney Thunder's triumphant Big Bash League campaign.
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Now the winner of the first Sydney Thunder Regional Rookie search finds himself on a rookie contract with Tasmania.
Cricket ACT director of high-performance and Sydney Thunder batsman Aiden Blizzard hopes his BBL team will be able to launch another career in the program's second instalment on Friday.
"Mac Wright had a great opportunity last year ... so we're hopeful that we'll be able to select the next best thing coming out of the region and hopefully they'll follow in Mac's footsteps," Blizzard said.
"The experience there to spend a week with the Sydney Thunder in the lead-up to the BBL is pretty significant and we're really excited about it."
Wright and his father made the seven-hour round trip to Canberra every weekend so he could don the green cap of Weston Creek Molonglo last season.
The former Prime Minister's XI 12th man's commitment paid off, and Blizzard said having Wright around the Thunder set-up was a "real humbling eye-opener" for the eventual BBL champions.
"For him to come in and have the experience of training alongside Jacques Kallis, Mike Hussey, Shane Watson and to get full access to them was something really significant," Blizzard said.
"He's been very thankful for that opportunity and it's something that we'd really like to continue to push.
"That opportunity doesn't come along very often, so it's great that we've been able to create that link and partnership."
This year's regional rookie program will also pit nine female players against each other in a bid to spend time in the Thunder's women's camp.
The Thunder pulled off a unique double in the Women's Big Bash League's inaugural season, winning the BBL and WBBL titles.
Blizzard said the recent success of the franchise means the trials present a significant opportunity for a number of reasons.
"Number one for talent identification, and number two for the experience. I'd suggest that someone will follow in Mac's footsteps in the female space as well," Blizzard said.
"Hopefully we do find that rough diamond."
The rookie program will see players put through drills that test their skills and fitness in the field, as well as a net session.
Twenty-four hopefuls will strut their stuff in front of Sydney Thunder general manager Nick Cummins, Blizzard and assistant coaches Leah Poulton and Beau Casson at Manuka Oval on Friday.
