The road less travelled brings the ACT Brumbies back to where it all began.
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Back to Canberra Stadium, a few booming Bayley Kuenzle boots away from the club's University of Canberra headquarters, for a shot at history.
They were forced out of the capital and on the road to Newcastle for a pre-season camp when bushfire smoke left them unable to train.
They kicked off in the searing summer heat in a state of emergency and endured a mumps outbreak within the inner sanctum, before their season came to a grinding halt courtesy of a global pandemic.
The repercussions meant international borders were slammed shut and Super Rugby's place as a globetrotting competition fell to pieces - so Australian derbies have become the order of the day.
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Now comes the biggest of them all - a grand final against the Queensland Reds in Canberra on Saturday night, the first decider played in the capital since 2004.
Make no mistake about it, says Brumbies forward Locky McCaffrey, the competition favourites are ready.
Ready to do it for their home fans, of which they are allowed 6000 people as government officials take cautious steps towards normality to avoid a COVID-19 outbreak.
Ready to rise to the biggest challenge they have faced all season against an outfit which took them to school little more than a week ago.
Put simply, the Brumbies are ready to make history.
"I've always said Aussie derbies are the most physical games you can play in because the boys rip into each other, you know each other well and you want to get one up on the other position," McCaffrey said.
"There are always Wallabies spots you're fighting for for 80 minutes. Physically it has been a really big 10 to 12 weeks, when you add in the travel aspect of things, going up and back on days.
"It has been a big season when you think about the fact boys started pre-season here last October, games started in January, and now we're in September.
"It's been a big old year, but luckily we worked hard over the competition to finish first. We thought that was important, that was our goal.
"We've ticked that off now and we get the benefit of freshening a few bodies up and analysing our own game, and making sure we're red hot to go for 80 minutes.
"We're really confident when we play our best footy, it'll look after itself. Being Australian derbies, you know the players and the teams pretty well. It's just a focus on our game, the Brumbies game."
Less than 1000 tickets remain for the grand final with all corporate areas already sold out as Brumbies fans jump at the chance to be a part of history.
Fans on the ticketing waitlist will be able to access seating from Monday should any remain, before the general public get their chance on Tuesday pending availability.
SUPER RUGBY AU GRAND FINAL
Saturday: ACT Brumbies v Queensland Reds at Canberra Stadium, 7.15pm.