Teliya Hetaraka left her mum in South Australia to chase the most unlikely of dreams.
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She was a teenage rugby player packing her bags for Canberra, willing to uproot her entire life for a chance to put her name up in lights.
Her Erindale College schoolmate Makayla Morris knows how she feels. She left her family on the south coast and moved to Canberra on a rugby mission.
Now the moves could pay off as the newly-minted ACT Brumbies duo close in on Super W debuts in a clash with the President's XV at Coffs International Stadium on Sunday morning.
Brumbies coach Dan Hawke could call upon the teenage pair as his side look to edge one step closer to a maiden grand final appearance.
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Morris and Hetaraka both featured for the Canberra Raiders' Tarsha Gale Cup side this year. The latter was crowned the Green Machine's player of the year.
Now they have a chance to shine in the 15-a-side code on the biggest stage Australian club rugby has to offer.
"Both of them have actually moved to Canberra to have an opportunity in rugby," Hawke said.
"Teliya is from South Australia, she's moved away from her mum to come up here.
"Makayla Morris is from the coast and she has also moved up here, away from her family to have a crack at these opportunities they now have at the Brumbies.
"To have two 18-year-olds that are mature enough to make that decision and are able to live up here away from all of their family and support, just like the ladies who come from the country, it's inspiring for us team management and coaches.
"Obviously being 18 and still at school, it's a massive accomplishment for them.
"With the explosion of women's sport and opportunities they have now, we're seeing that next generation that have had three, four, five years in their juniors and teenage years whereas the older generation didn't have those opportunities."
Hawke has taken 27-player squad to Coffs Harbour as the club prepares for a hectic schedule that sees them play three times in seven days.
A clash with the President's XV, who drew their competition opener against the Western Force, is followed by a showdown with the title-defending NSW Waratahs on Wednesday.
All six teams will then be in action on July 3, with the top two ranked sides advancing to a grand final, while the rest feature in third-place and fifth-place playoff games.
The move to Coffs Harbour will provide Hawke's Brumbies side with a professional environment for the week ahead. Work and study will take a backseat to training and video analysis.
But more pressing than any preview or review session will be those few hours after the full-time whistle on game day.
"It's going to be really challenging depending on how many injuries you have, it can significantly change the way you want to play," Hawke said.
"If you've got three games in seven days, every bump and bruise, every running metre, it all has an effect over the seven days.
"That's something we've been trying to install in them through the training period and the pre-season, the fact that the game is one thing but recovery is just as important, if not more.
"I think it's going to be a really good week up there. It gives us a lot of time to give feedback on the games they play.
"Being in that week-long environment allows you to build those connections, which hopefully if the season goes back to normal next year, you'll be able to call upon."
SUPER W
Round two: Sunday, June 27 - ACT Brumbies v President's XV at Coffs Harbour International Stadium, 11am. Broadcast live on Stan Sport. Tickets from Ticketek.
Round three: Wednesday, June 30 - NSW Waratahs v ACT Brumbies at Coffs Harbour International Stadium, 3pm. Broadcast live on Stan Sport. Tickets from Ticketek.
Finals day: Saturday, July 3 - 1v2 at 1pm, 3v4 at 11am, 5v6 at 9am, at Coffs Harbour International Stadium.
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