Imagine the look on the face of the tradies working in the basement of the Queanbeyan Leagues Club when they stumbled upon a relic rugby league legend Ricky Stuart had won almost 50 years ago.
Eagle-eyed electricians spotted a Queanbeyan Blues juniors best and fairest shield in the bowels of the Leagues Club last week. The best part? Canberra Raiders coach Stuart had won that shield each year from 1979-81.
Stuart would have been just 12 years old the first time he won that shield, long before he toured with the Wallabies and Kangaroos, won three premierships with the Raiders and lifted State of Origin shields.
"I can actually remember that trophy, mate," Stuart laughed when shown a picture of the shield by Locker Room.
"Amazing, mate. The things underneath the QLC would be amazing."
A Test-capped playmaker was left in an eye patch and will miss the ACT Brumbies' trip to Fiji - and now a rising star who is "sitting exams at school this week" will step up to fill the void.
Faitala Moleka suffered an eye contusion - which occurs when heavy impact damages the tissues around the eye or the structures inside it - in a blow to the Brumbies' Super Rugby Women's side.
While her teammates are sledging her for the eye patch they liken to that of a pirate, Moleka's absence means Ella Ryan will return to flyhalf and 17-year-old Georgie Hayes will earn her first start at fullback against the Fijian Drua in Ba on Saturday.
"Obviously the eye is a pretty unique injury and certainly something we want to take very seriously, versus a little hammy niggle," ACT coach James Erwin said.
"We've got some really exciting depth within a number of areas. Ella being that 10-15 option for us gives us a lot of confidence. We know from a kicking perspective, ball carry, her defensive efforts, she's going to give us exactly what we need.
"[Hayes] backs herself at every opportunity. She plays with the energy we want, with the confidence, and it's certainly a boost for the group to have her around the football."
Paul Goriss figures the fact Manuela Puoch was drafted by New York says something about her potential, so you can understand why the Capitals targeted the rising star to form a sister act in Canberra.
Puoch - the younger sister of Canberra star Nyadiew Puoch - has signed a two-year deal to join the Capitals until the end of the 2027-28 season.
Question marks still hover over the future of Jade Melbourne after she signed a lucrative deal to join Seattle in the WNBA.
But Puoch is the seventh player on Canberra's roster, joining her sister, as well as Isa Brancatisano, Sharne Robati, Amy Atwell, Isabel Palmer and Charlotte Whittaker.
"'Manny' is someone we targeted early in free agency, and whilst it looked like she was headed to college in the US, there was an abrupt turn and we quickly moved to snare her signature," Goriss said.
"Manny is a versatile forward that is physical, has a great nose for the ball for rebounding and has an excellent feel for the game with a high IQ.
"Manny is a great passer and playmaker combined with her ability to shoot the three, space the floor and play inside, which makes her a versatile addition to our front court. I believe she is only starting to scratch the surface of what she is capable of in the WNBL.
"Her being drafted in the WNBA by New York shows she has potential and a bright future."
Puoch joins the Capitals following a stint with the Southside Flyers, where she averaged 4.4 points and 1.3 rebounds per game.
"With timing ticking on what my development pathway was going to look like, I found that the Canberra Caps was the best fit and a place where I would have the opportunity to showcase what I have in front of one of the best fan bases in the league," Puoch said.
"I'm super excited to continue growing my game this season with the Canberra staff, meet my teammates and call myself a Cap alongside my big sis."
The stadium experts behind the multi-purpose venue in the heart of Christchurch have set up an office in Canberra as they chase the chance to build a state-of-the-art stadium in the capital.
Former Raiders captain Alan Tongue was among those featured on a panel when Besix Watpac launched their new Canberra office.
Chief executive Mark Baker held court at the QT Hotel to celebrate the launch - and the success of the fully enclosed Te Kaha Stadium in Christchurch was never far from the agenda.
The stadium was sold out three days in a row during its grand opening for Super Rugby's Super Round, and the Crusaders have played in front of four sellout crowds since as the stadium begins to deliver on what Christchurch officials believe will bring in $50 million per year.
Baker is adamant a stadium in Canberra's city centre can have a similar impact after the Brumbies fuelled calls for a similar venue in the ACT, having played in the new Christchurch stadium during its opening weekend.
"The [Te Kaha] Stadium in Christchurch, completed this year, is a standout example of what can be achieved through collaboration - delivered ahead of schedule and on budget - with a transformational impact on the local community," Baker said.
"We know Canberra deserves the same."
They go by the Canberra White Eagles, but you might as well call them the Nomads as the club settles on its fifth different home ground of the year - and it's only June.
White Eagles shifted a Capital Football National Premier League home game to Greenway Oval on Wednesday night.
The shift came after their last home game - against Canberra Croatia on Saturday - at Boomanulla Oval was unable to proceed because the field was deemed unfit to host the NPL match by referees.
Greenway Oval becomes White Eagles' fifth home ground venue of the season, following matches at Melrose, Hawker, Boomanulla Oval, and the AIS.
It comes after White Eagles officials were told they would not be able to play at Woden Park this year after rugby league's Woden Valley Rams and rugby union's Canberra Royals adopted the venue while Phillip Enclosed Oval is out of action.
Greenway Oval fails to offer a long-term solution, because the venue is already shared by Tuggeranong Valley [AFL Canberra] and the Tuggeranong Bushrangers [Canberra Raiders Cup].
White Eagles officials have battled to find a permanent home for two years, and has been lobbying ACT Sportsgrounds to try and get access to an unused field they could maintain on their own using support from their sponsors and volunteers. But to date, they have yet to secure a permanent home ground.
Canberra product Riley Hamilton has signed a new deal to stay with the GWS Giants until the end of 2027 as he chases an AFL debut.
Hamilton has impressed at VFL level after being taken as a category B rookie in the 2025 rookie draft, having been overlooked a year prior after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament tear.
"We're really happy with Riley's development and it's fantastic to have him signed on for next year," GWS head of talent Adrian Caruso said.
"After impressing in our academy he has come into our AFL program with a great hunger to learn and get the best out of himself and it's really showing with his VFL form across the first half of the year.
"He's got some really strong traits as a dangerous medium forward and we're looking forward to seeing where he can take his game as he continues to learn off some elite mentors in our AFL program."
Could these be Canberra's first homegrown Diamonds in what feels like an eternity?
Isla Pfeiffer, Sarah Rogic, and Rebecca Howarth have been named in an Australian under 17s squad while fellow ACT product Ashley Weller has earned national under 19 selection.
Weller's place in an under 19s squad gifted her the chance to test herself against Diamonds stars during a camp in Canberra, while Pfeiffer has starred on and off the court, because she has also turned heads playing for Tuggeranong in AFL Canberra's junior rank.
She isn't the only multi-sport athlete in this mix. Howarth, who plays for Canberra in Netball ACT's State League, has won gold medals for the ACT in high jump and shot put.
The two Australian underage squads will enter national development camps in July.
