My why: The inspiration behind Allan Alaalatoa and ACT Brumbies in Super Rugby AU grand final

Moments before he steps out of the tunnel and onto the Canberra Stadium turf in search of a drought-breaking grand final win, two words serve as a lasting reminder of why he is here in front of 6000 fans against the Queensland Reds.

That final glance inside his locker sees Alaalatoa's eyes dart from the words "my why" across to a picture of his parents Vili and Emma.

"They've sacrificed a lot to migrate over from Samoa and to live off very little to provide a better future for myself and my brother," Alaalatoa said.

"I'm truly grateful for everything they have done. Every day I wake up and I appreciate those little things they have done for me."

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To his fiance Filo.

"She's behind me and I'm always grateful for the love and care she shows me every day," Alaalatoa said. "For me to come out here and do what I love with the boys, it can't be without her. I'm truly lucky to have her by my side."

To a picture of the Brumbies squad huddled together moments before kick-off.

"At the end of the day you want to do it for your brothers around you," Alaalatoa said.

"That's a big one for me, making sure in the 80 minutes I get on the field I do everything I can to make the brothers proud. You never want to let a brother down.

"You start off and you're always thinking about your family. When I've thought about it over the years, when I take to the field I'm only thinking of not letting my brothers down."

So what about his Brumbies brothers? What is their why?

One should have known hooker Connal McInerney would be the one to change the tune. The 25-year-old admits he didn't really plan for it properly. Sure, he would have liked to have put in some family photos.

"But it's actually just a photo of me and Tom Cusack sitting there after a training in Newcastle absolutely smashed, sweaty as," McInerney laughed.

"My why was doing it for your mate, for the bloke next to you. I look at it every time and just giggle. It probably should have been a bit more meaningful, but that's a big part of it. You don't want to let your mates down."

Andy Muirhead took a chance on rugby when he moved to Canberra and left his family in Queensland.

But every time he glances at his locker to see the smiling faces of his mum, sisters, niece, nephews and teammates, he knows he made the right call.

"They're all up in Queensland. They were at the Reds game and it was tough to have a conversation with them because they were 10 metres away and we were separated by ropes. It was almost worse having them so close but so far away," Muirhead said.

"They don't really get down here too often so it was nice having that moment. I know they support me from up there."

"Take away this year," emerging prop Tom Ross said, "I think going to Christchurch last year was probably the only game they have missed out of my whole career. They came to the junior World Cup with me, usually if we head up to Queensland they love hopping on a plane with us."

Who else could that be but his parents Bernie and Damien, who will drop everything and follow Ross around the world to be on the journey with him, and that simply "means the world" to him.

So it's only fitting they fill a slot inside Ross' locker, alongside his brother Jack and partner Bre.

Folau Fainga'a starts rattling off the photos from top to bottom. His parents sit at the top, just below them is the extended family - siblings, their grandmother, aunty, nephews, and nieces.

Below that is the word "respect", the letters filled with a Tongan flag and a cultural design to recognise his roots. Then you see Fainga'a holding a drink.

"We've got to enjoy what we do. For me, I like to joke about a lot of things but I know when to flick the switch," Fainga'a said.

"We're out there to do a job but that photo reminds me to keep having fun no matter how hard the day is, or how tough that game was. I can reflect on that and know I've got the boys behind me, and we're having a good time."

Tom Banks mightn't be here if not for the support of his parents Desley and Tony while he sat in hospital nursing a reconstructed shoulder.

Super Rugby likely wouldn't be a reality, nor would the priceless memories like a famous victory over the Stormers in Cape Town last year, so needless to say a photo from that day joins one of his parents.

"It was probably one of the most memorable wins I've had, backs to the wall, the group we had was special," Banks said.

"It's always hard to win overseas, especially in South Africa. We made about four times as many tackles as the Stormers did but we hung in the game and came away with the win.

"It was pretty special. From that moment in the season we really grew, it was a turning point."

Nic White's eyes dart to the picture of a trophy and the butterflies kick in, because "winning is why we do this". He is one win away from turning his why into a reality.

The best part? He gets to share this moment with the smiling faces on the photo next to it - his wife Melissa, and sons Sonny and Leo. But it goes beyond that, to his parents and four sisters.

"Growing up I sometimes had to be driven two hours to play a game of rugby and they'd do it, no dramas," White said.

"My parents and my sisters, they've all been extremely supportive. I've had unbelievable support from my family and my wife Mel, I've dragged her all over the world chasing my dream.

"They've been there through it all."

Right until this final outing of the Super Rugby AU competition, with a chance at domestic glory on offer.

"Winning is why we do this at the end of the day, we get paid which is great, but I love rugby and I would do it for free. The main reason I do it is because I want to win," White said.

SUPER RUGBY AU GRAND FINAL

Saturday: ACT Brumbies v Queensland Reds at Canberra Stadium, 7.15pm.

Brumbies squad: 1. Scott Sio, 2. Folau Fainga'a, 3. Allan Alaalatoa (c), 4. Murray Douglas, 5. Cadeyrn Neville, 6. Lachlan McCaffrey, 7. Will Miller, 8. Pete Samu, 9. Joe Powell, 10. Noah Lolesio, 11. Tom Wright, 12. Irae Simone, 13. Tevita Kuridrani, 14. Andy Muirhead, 15. Tom Banks. Replacements: 16. Connal McInerney, 17. James Slipper, 18. Tom Ross, 19. Nick Frost, 20. Rob Valetini, 21. Nic White, 22. Bayley Kuenzle, 23. Solomone Kata.

Reds squad: 1. JP Smith, 2. Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 3. Taniela Tupou, 4. Angus Blyth, 5. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 6. Liam Wright (c), 7. Fraser McReight, 8. Harry Wilson, 9. Tate McDermott, 10. James O'Connor, 11. Filipo Daugunu, 12. Hamish Stewart, 13. Hunter Paisami, 14. Jordan Petaia, 15. Jock Campbell. Replacements: 16. Josh Nasser, 17. Harry Hoopert, 18. Ruan Smith, 19. Tuaina Taii Tualima, 20. Angus Scott-Young, 21. Moses Sorovi, 22. Bryce Hegarty, 23. Jack Hardy.