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Canberra forward Dunamis Lui was set to return to Queensland and work as a mechanic after cycling through three NRL clubs and then the Raiders came knocking.
Dunamis Lui thought his NRL career could be over and he was destined to return to Queensland as a mechanic three years ago.
Instead Lui will come off the bench to join Canberra's engine room in their grand final clash with the Sydney Roosters on Sunday night, a decade after his first grade debut for Brisbane.
Since his breakthrough season at the Broncos he has spent time at Manly and St George Illawarra, before finally finding a home as a bench forward at the Raiders in 2017.
"It's taken me a bit," Lui said.
"I have had a pretty long career and to finally make the grand final, I was stoked (after beating South Sydney last Friday).
"Coming to the Raiders I knew it was like a second chance for me. I was grateful. I just fell into the group of boys we have and everyone is pretty close."
Lui's stint in Canberra was almost a case of one that was never going to be.
One year into a two-season deal at the Dragons in 2016, Lui found himself battling an Achilles injury and struggling.
"When you are by yourself you have plenty of time to think. It probably wasn't good for me," Lui said.
"My manager did the best he could to get around me. When the time came for me to start looking elsewhere I actually thought maybe that was it.
"I'd go back to Queensland Cup and just play footy there and work. At least I will be back home around my wife and daughters.
"I thought that's where I was going to end up, I didn't want to go overseas."
Armed with a Cert III in automotive engineering and Cert IV in business, Lui had long made plans for a life after football.
Another option was a job as a personal trainer, but either either way it was a far cry from preparing for a stack of work through the middle in the premiership decider at ANZ Stadium.
"I didn't think I was ready for that (post-football life)," Lui said.
"Then the opportunity came for me to come here with (Raiders recruitment manager) Peter Mulholland. I took that and really began to work hard on paying back that favour.
"He is one person I need to thank for getting me here and Stick (coach Ricky Stuart) for believing in me.
"Coming here I knew I had to work really hard to get myself going again. And here we are."