Rathbone mirrors Brumbies' revival

But the veteran admits he doubted the club's ability to recapture a championship-winning culture when the Brumbies sunk to the lowest point in their history in 2011.

Now both are on the cusp of a fairytale finish, in Hamilton on Saturday night.

Two years ago, when the Brumbies finished 13th on the ladder, Rathbone was still coming to grips with career-ending chronic injuries, and being 16 kilograms overweight and suicidal.

"That's what makes this so exciting," Rathbone said.

"I went on my own personal journey, and coming back to Super Rugby I had no idea how it was going to go.

"You go in and work really hard to achieve something. Who knows where it might lead. And I see this team's journey as similar to my own. It shows you what can be achieved with good culture and hard work."

The Brumbies will play in the Super Rugby final for the first time in nine years when they take on the Waikato Chiefs.

Brumbies coach Jake White lured Rathbone out of retirement and now, after three years on the sideline, he has a chance to claim his second Super Rugby title.

Rathbone was part of the championship-winning team in 2004. He played for the Wallabies as a destructive winger. Then the injuries hit.

At the same time the Brumbies missed the finals. When Rathbone retired in 2009, he slipped into depression behind closed doors.

He was on painkillers and would spend his days in bed with a box of Chocolate Frogs. His weight ballooned from 95 kilograms to 111 kilograms.

When White asked him to return last year, he initially declined. But halfway through last year, Rathbone rediscovered the urge to play again.

Now his finals experience is extremely valuable to a team of rookies playing for the championship.

"There has always been a good, strong culture here in Canberra, but I think this is the tightest group I've been involved with," he said.