The hour-long trip can be a drag, especially after a brutal fitness session. But their Super Rugby dream began in the frontyard of their 640 hectare property, where they had their own child-sized goalposts, and it could soon become a reality.

"I was over in New Zealand when Ryan made his debut. I've got the video on my phone, I still get goose bumps every time I watch it," Lachlan says in the family sheering shed.

"So to have a chance to train together and hopefully play together ... that would be pretty special. A bit of luck and hopefully it happens."

The rugby union brothers have teamed up at the Brumbies for the first time and are working towards their goal of playing a Super Rugby game together.

Scrumhalf Ryan made his debut at the end of 2017 when he came off the bench against the Waikato Chiefs and that was the moment Lachlan realised the "impossible dream" was attainable.

So when the Brumbies offered Lachlan, a rising hooker, a development contract for the 2019 season, they took the next step in their rugby journey.

The best part, Ryan jokes, is that he now has someone to share the driving. "It's pretty cool ... driving together," Ryan laughs.

"We've been playing footy in the yard since we were young kids and now we get to do it in a professional environment. To do that with the people you love is awesome."

The Lonergans are more than just rugby players. They're technically farmers, although they say they only do enough work with their dad, Tom, to be able to keep the country title.

When they're not playing, they're fencing, or feeding cattle, or crutching lambs. In fact, they even had to fix a Canberra Times car when a rock punctured its underbelly during a photo shoot.

Being so far away from the rest of their Brumbies teammates or training venue seems like it would make life tough, especially when they're trying to break into the professional ranks.

But they see life on the outskirts of Canberra as a privilege rather than a burden.

Their family farm, which was built by their dad and is just down the road from their grandparents, was hit by the drought earlier this year, forcing them to buy feed for the livestock for the first time.

"I honestly love it out here," Lachlan said.

Ryan adds: "I find it good to get away from footy. I can come home, feed the cows or do some stuff at the shed ... I love just tinkering around.

"It's easy to get away from the game, some people get so caught up in it that they end up hating it. So I think it's good to have [an escape] and when you can do it at home, it's easy."

Ryan knows he has to be patient for his chance. He will be the third string behind Joe Powell and Matt Lucas, but it's a challenge he's willing to embrace to get more game time.

He captained the Australian under-20s at the junior world championships in 2018 and is rated highly by Brumbies and Australian development coaches.

Lachlan faces a tough challenge to win a full-time contract, but Brumbies coaches Dan McKellar and Laurie Fisher believe he can take the leap to professional rugby.

His job for 2019 will be to learn off veteran Josh Mann-Rea, Wallabies rookie Folau Faingaa and Connal McInerney.

Lachlan had shoulder surgery at the end of 2017 and was ruled out for seven months before getting his Brumbies opportunity.

"They're just good, honest, hard-working country boys," McKellar said of the Lonergan brothers.

"They come from a really good family, they love their rugby and they're good fellas. You can tell their parents have done a great job with raising them.

"They're both at the start of their career and are developing as rugby players. Ryan is a promising halfback, Lachy is a very good, tough, tough hooker. He won't be the biggest, but he'll play well above his weight."

The Lonergans are simply happy to juggle farm life with their rugby hopes. "I was pretty much just doing farm life last year, doing fencing and walking all day. It doesn't get better than that," Lachlan said.

Ryan says: "Other brothers always looked at us funny when we were younger because they'd fight with their siblings. We've always got along, we're best mates."