Jed Pearce shied at the prospect of travelling to and from Canberra to play for Tumut again this season before the coronavirus struck.
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However his back flip has paid dividends as the Blues look to go back-to-back when they take on Tumut it Equex Centre on Sunday.
Now he's looking to make the most of another grand final shot.
The travel was the biggest hurdle for the 26-year-old committing to another season however he was instrumental in getting Connor Massen, Jacob McGrath and Tevita Aroha-Tuinuvai to the club once the season was given the green light.
The quartet make the trip from the nation's capital together each but the weight in numbers has made a better experience.
"It's heaps easier," Pearce said. "It is still a pain in the arse travelling home but it has worked out quite well.
"All the boys stay at my parents' house so it's pretty easy.
"We just car pool, stay Friday and Saturday night and just go from there."
He's been pleased with what they've brought to the club.
"Tolo (Aroha Tuinauvai) was a bit of a hidden secret and no one knew much about him but he came firing against Gundagai at Anzac Park and it was his best game of the year," Pearce said.
"He's having 15 to 20 carries a game and it is just helping us forwards out a lot, getting us on the front foot as he's such a big boy.
"Connor has gone well and he and Brayden Draber have done a pretty good job on the two Lyons boys in the past two games defensively and he had a good game in attack on the weekend with his scoots while Jacob has been good in the middle and helping us rotate through the middle.
"He's coming on and giving us some quality hit ups through the middle."
With the big travel commitment, Pearce is yet to decide on his future.
Instead his main focus is on trying to get the better of their arch rivals after little has separated them all year.
"Both teams know it is going to be a tough, hard-fought game and you have to turn up switched on as the other team is going to be switched on," he said. "We need to keep our heads on."
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