They came to Canberra with nothing but the clothes on their back and a dream of playing on the national rugby stage.
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Northern Territory's Michaela Wright, Nicole Paterson and Jasmine Castro left their jobs and family behind to trial with the ACT Brumbies for next year's Super W competition.
The trio have played competitive rugby with and against each other for eight years in Darwin before they were individually offered an opportunity to relocate to Canberra in a bid to earn a Super W contract.
It's the perfect timing for Castro and Wright, with the latter completing a university degree in sports science two weeks ago.
But Paterson? The Northern Territory police officer is preparing to take twelve months leave without pay to play rugby in the capital.
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"I don't have anything to lose by moving here but so much to gain," Paterson said.
"I told [my colleagues] what could possibly happen if I were to get into the team and having to relocate, they're pretty much all for it.
"I can take a year off without pay but still be employed there, so I can do this.
"It's great work allows me to take that year and so I'm excited for it. I'm still so young, I'm only 23-years-old. There's nothing holding me back."
Paterson joined the Force two years ago and works in a remote community in the Northern Territory but still manages to play rugby.
The 23-year-old recently played for the Australian Police Rugby Union team in the International Police Rugby Championship in Hong Kong and also took part in the Hottest 7's with Castro earlier this year.
"Once I joined the police I thought 'this is my life, this is what I'm going to do until I retire' but then this opportunity came up," Paterson said.
"I heard about the opportunity to trial with the Brumbies when I was playing for the Australian police team but nothing was set in stone. I got the call about three weeks before the trial.
"[Working in the police] has definitely matured me. You deal with so much stuff which has made me stronger and I've had to move out of Darwin to a community about 12-15 hours away - if the dirt track is good.
"That's made me grow and has been a stepping stone for making this bigger move [to Canberra], but doing it with two people who you've grown up playing rugby with makes it so much easier."
The trio arrived in the capital two weeks ago with nothing but the clothes on their back because their luggage was stuck at Sydney Airport due to a flight delay.
They had to borrow clothes and training gear from players they had barely met for the first training session, but that's when their fortunes worsened.
Castro could barely train because of an existing knee injury and Wright re-tore her hamstring during the first session.
"It's ridiculously disappointing that I've been out for the whole training process because I haven't been able to participate or show them what I can do," Wright said.
"That's been pretty rough. I don't have very high expectations due to the fact I can't prove myself.
"We haven't had the opportunity for selectors to watch our games at club rugby so it's based off our Darwin coaches' pick.
"How can you trust that word without seeing it? That's the most frustrating part. So, I'm just enjoying the experience but without having high expectations."
The Brumbies held their last Super W trial on Friday and are expected to name the 2020 squad this weekend.
Castro says she's not holding out hope of earning a contract due to her limited time on field but the trio are set to join the Canberra Royals in the ACT Women's Premiership next year.
"It's hard to sit on the side-line and watch because we know what we're capable of and what we can do," Castro said.
"Our hopes aren't high when it comes to the trial because we've spent most of it in rehab, but the Royals want us so that's good.
"That's what most players have done; if they haven't made the team they play a season of club rugby then are asked to trial for the Brumbies."
The 2020 Super W schedule is yet to be announced but is expected to start in late March.