While many were still in the dressing sheds, soaking up a dramatic semi-final victory, Jarrod Flanagan was nowhere to be seen.
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Moments earlier the Souths winger had crossed for the match-winning try and booked a spot in this weekend's Newcastle Rugby League grand final.
Flanagan, like he has for most of the 2020 season, raced off the field, collected his kit bag and jumped straight in the car en route for work.
The 25-year-old is an electrician at an underground mine and started on weekend night shift around nine weeks ago, but it hasn't stopped him from donning the white and red playing uniform.
"Honestly, his commitment this year has been massive," Lions coach Andrew Ryan said.
"He plays footy and then goes straight to work afterwards. Plus he's already worked the night before, gone home, got a few hours sleep and then turns up at the ground.
"The only games that he's missed were the ones pushed later to 3:30, because that's how tight it must be.
"I try not to ask him how he's going because I can't even think about having that sort of preparation.
"So to say you're all in, and none of the guys are getting paid, it's a big effort."
Flanagan was simply happy to be "in the right place at the right time" at Maitland Sportsground on Sunday.
With less than three minutes left and down by two points in the elimination encounter, Souths strung together passes between Connor Browne, Ryan Glanville, Harry Croker, Lachlan Walmsley and Dylan Lucas, who managed to attract three defenders before getting an offload away to a freed-up Flanagan.
The No.5, waiting on the left edge and inside the 10 metres, caught the ball and made a short dash to the line before being swamped by jubilant teammates.
"Dyl did all the hard work, I just had to get to the line," Flanagan said.
"It was nice to get one right at the end and feels pretty good to make a grand final."
It was his second try of the afternoon and season, having landed his first midway through the opening half for a 14-0 lead.
"I was just happy to get off the nudie run, it's been a slow year," he said.
Flanagan, the competition's leading try scorer four years ago, is the sole survivors from both of Souths' previous to premierships in 2016 and 2018.
Ryan said "we should have the same 17" but admits there were quite a few "bumps and bruises" after the weekend's encounter. The Lions trained on Tuesday and will have another session on Thursday.
Cessnock have halfback Liam Foran (hamstring) and Tom Baker (knee) both in doubt.
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