Western Force officials are expecting a near-capacity crowd for their Super Rugby AU season opener against the Brumbies at Perth Oval on Friday night.

But the Melbourne Rebels are based in Canberra having been forced to scramble out of Victoria to beat a lockdown, and club boss Baden Stephenson says they will not return home until after round two at the earliest.

It shows just how different scenarios can be around the country as the Brumbies prepare to fly to Perth on Wednesday night for their first game in Western Australia since 2017.

For now they will escape match day interstate return trips which White admits were mentally draining throughout the first iteration of Super Rugby AU last year.

MORE BRUMBIES

"We've learnt that over the past 12 months haven't we, that things change pretty quickly. It's not just rugby players, it's the whole community," White said.

"It's good as it is now, but things can change, the goalposts can move before next week. We'll adapt, as a club we're very good at adapting, so we'll jump on the rollercoaster and see where we go.

"[Game day road trips] can catch up with you the week after or a couple of weeks after. It's exciting to be able to go up a couple of days early.

"A little bit of normality being over to go over a couple of days earlier. It's exciting, it's not the up and back in a day trips, and being able to actually go to the other side of Australia.

"From all we're hearing, there is going to be a big crowd over there in Perth, so that's exciting, getting back to playing in front of some eyeballs."

The Brumbies were limited to playing in front of 1500 fans for the bulk of their home games during the domestic competition last year, a figure that was eventually bumped up to 6000 for the grand final.

The Force were made to play their home games at Leichhardt Oval having been locked out of Western Australia.

Now a packed house in Perth means a house packed with rabid Western Force fans getting a glimpse of their team on home soil in a Super Rugby match for the first time since they were exiled.

"I don't think it'll matter, the noise alone will be exciting," White said.

"It has been a tough time playing in front of smaller crowds. There are rumours they're going to pack it out. Just that noise alone, we'll pretend it's ours."

SUPER RUGBY AU ROUND ONE

Friday: Queensland Reds v NSW Waratahs at Lang Park, 7.45pm; Western Force v ACT Brumbies at Perth Oval, 9.55pm. All times AEDT.