The Gungahlin Bulls knew they needed to start thinking outside the box to find their next star.
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That took them to Fiji, and into the arms of promising centre Isimeli Vatanitawake - their newest Canberra Raiders Cup recruit.
They might be onto something, because the debutant helped the Bulls to their first win of the season with a 24-22 triumph over the Woden Valley Rams at Gungahlin Oval on Saturday.
Bulls coach David Howell hopes Vatanitawake is just the start.
"As a club we have sponsored [Vatanitawake] to come over from Fiji and give him an opportunity, he is only 19, to play at a decent level of footy, and hopefully he can kick on from here," Howell said.
"That's just one of the things we're trying to do as a club to branch out from the same sort of stuff a lot of other clubs are doing, picking players from individual clubs.
"He made his first grade debut for the club today and he went really well. He was really impressive with some good strong carries."
The Bulls were forced into a chaotic pre-game reshuffle when back-rower Brad Scholes failed a fitness test.
They had already lost Matty Fellows at training on Thursday to an ankle injury, but Jason Brown excelled in his shift to the edge.
When the game was there for the taking, it was down to former Mounties and NSW under 20s half Brendan O'Hagan to steer the ship - and that he did.
"It was a good solid performance from our boys, one they really deserve," Howell said.
"I'm really pleased for the players because they have been putting in a lot of work and haven't got the rewards they deserve. Today showed if you put in that hard work and keep grinding away, you can come up with the win. Hopefully we can build on that."
Meanwhile, the Tuggeranong Bushrangers handed Goulburn their first loss with a 24-18 win at Greenway Oval.
The Queanbeyan Kangaroos picked up their first win with a 54-10 thrashing of the Yass Magpies at Freebody Oval.
The West Belconnen Warriors will host Joel Monaghan's Queanbeyan Blues at Kippax on Sunday.
AT A GLANCE
Canberra Raiders Cup round four: TUGGERANONG BUSHRANGERS 24 (J Mitchell 2, N Low, W Alexander, J Kennedy tries; J Mitchell 2 goals) bt GOULBURN BULLDOGS 18 (I Tittor 2, M Dodsontries; C Hart 3 goals); GUNGAHLIN BULLS 24 (scorers not provided) bt WODEN VALLEY RAMS 22 (C Ellis, J Taws, L Withers, M Geiger tries; L Withers 3 goals); QUEANBEYAN KANGAROOS 54 (scorers not provided) bt YASS MAGPIES 10 (scorers not provided).