Just what is the secret ingredient to Lindbeck Butchery's famous brilliant green Raiders snags?
Is it some rare herb passed down from viking to viking, travelling down, down from the Nordic north to Cooma Street in Queanbeyan?
Is it the extract of that fine delicacy, Canberra Milk's Raiders Lime?
Or is it something else altogether?
"I can't tell you," Peter "Butcher" Lindbeck said, on Friday.
"It's a secret ingredient from the juice extract from the grass clippings from Seiffert Oval from Hank Inderwisch who used to be the groundsmen back when the Raiders first started." [Hank was also the Raiders chairman]
Sales of the green snags were picking up as the Raiders faced the do-or-die elimination final against the Cronulla Sharks at Canberra Oval at 5.40pm on Saturday..
"It started a bit subdued, everyone was a bit quiet. I think everyone was a bit hurt and wounded from last year's theft in the grand final," Butcher said.
"But they're certainly getting into the swing of it right now, I can tell you."
A grand final berth certainly helps sales of the snags.
Butcher said they sold 1200 kilos - 1.2 tonnes - of the green snags as the Raiders made the grand final, only to lose in heartbreaking fashion to the Sydney Roosters.
"If they win - well, when they win, put it that way - this weekend, then everyone will be True Believers. It will go a little bit bonkers after that," he said.
And the perfect accompaniment to the green snag is the green Raiders bread which is flying off the shelves at the Vina Bakehouse and Coffee Shop at the Wanniassa shops.
"It's a match made in heaven," Butcher said.
The whole impact of COVID-19 had made this year feel very different, with the timing of sporting fixtures changed and people in the mood to celebrate something good for a change.
"It's a bit weird because this weekend should have been the grand final, so it's just thrown everyone off their timing, but they're certainly warming to it now," he said.
"Everyone is excited for a bit of good news. This could be the good news story of 2020."
Lindbeck's is open until noon on Saturday.
