Just 18 months ago Jaiman Lowe found himself in Cairns thinking his NRL days were over.
On Saturday night, he will be part of a Melbourne Storm side searching for redemption and a grand final berth against New Zealand at AAMI Park.
It was the last thing Lowe expected when he headed to Far North Queensland, unwanted by any NRL club after 14 appearances for South Sydney in 2009.
So he went somewhere he was, wanted that is, the Cairns-based Queensland Cup outfit Northern Pride.
Lowe was 27 years old, had played 98 games as a front-rower at the top level for North Queensland and Souths, thinking that he would ultimately fall short of the ton.
"I'd hoped, but deep down I sort of thought that's it, I'd played a fair bit of first grade in that final year at Souths and couldn't get a club," Lowe said.
"I thought I'm in Q-Cup and I'm Buckley's (chance), but things turned out pretty good in the end."
Pretty good may be something of an understatement by Lowe, whose career was reborn in a mid-year phone chat with Souths boss Shane Richardson.
"I got in contact with Souths when they had a heap of injuries last year and asked Richo whether there would be a spot there," Lowe said.
"They were looking around for front-rowers, they didn't know if I'd be interested in going back down, but I struck up a little six-month deal thing."
"I thought I'll give it one last crack and that would be it, I would go down and finish my career in the NRL back at Souths."
But little did Lowe know, after reaching that elusive century of games, his journey would take him even further south of Redfern.
"I went back down, had a couple of games in first-grade and Storm were obviously looking to fill their roster after losing so many players," Lowe said.
"(Football manager) Frank Ponissi and Craig (Bellamy) got in contact with me and the rest was history."
Lowe was offered a two-year deal and the Toowoomba-born forward made the move to Melbourne.
"There were things like family to consider, it's a long way to move them down, but footy-wise it was obviously perfect and that was probably what got me over the line in the end," Lowe said.
"I thought if I'm ever going to milk the last little bit out of my career this is the place to do it and get the best out of myself."
"The wife and kids are really happy down here at the moment, it's a good place."
The good place has delivered for Lowe, who has been used primarily as an interchange prop under Bellamy.
The 28-year-old has averaged 25 minutes, 16 tackles and 64 metres per game in his 22 appearances in 2011.
"Noz (Bryan Norrie) and Jesse (Bromwich) have been laying a good platform, so the pressures on to carry that on a bit," Lowe said.
"Just getting the ball and going forward is my role, as long as I'm in the team, I don't care (what I have to do)."
Since debuting as a teenager in 2002 with the Cowboys, Lowe has played under some respected coaches in Graham Murray, Shaun McRae, Jason Taylor and John Lang.
But it's Bellamy who has had the greatest impact on Lowe.
"He's definitely number one and I'm not just saying that because I'm here," Lowe said.
"He's proven that,