His back pocket took a beating but Tom Rogers was never going to shy away from the chance to realise his dream.
Rogers was revealed as one of five new faces to earn a full-time contract with Cricket Tasmania on Thursday, some three months after leaving the mainland to pursue a chance with the Tigers.
Australian cricket's bitter pay dispute meant finances were stretched thin for a 23-year-old chasing a professional contract but the gamble paid off.
After all, he was never going to think twice about taking a punt when the Tigers came calling.
He's already settled into his home away from home, with "mountains and rivers and fish as far as the eye can see" turning Tasmania into a "pretty bloody good" place to be.
"It was all up in the air with the MOU stuff for the finances but I had a few people generously help me through that time which was good," Rogers said.
"It was some poor timing I guess and it was all out of my control, just waiting and seeing what happened.
"But I guess if anyone gets a call saying that a state is interested in them you're ready to pack up the bags and hit the road quick smart, no matter how hard it's going to be on the bank account."
Rogers won the Futures League player of the year award last season on the back of 24 wickets in six games, playing alongside captain and brother John for the first time.
Rogers spent a weekend in Tasmania as a 14-year-old when his older brother was playing for the Tigers and he's been welcomed in with open arms by the people he met almost a decade ago.
The 23-year-old is in "fifth gear the whole time" on the training paddock but he has relished every moment since his dad broke the news the Tigers wanted him.
"My manager actually called up my dad and told him the news first so that my dad could give the news which was a pretty good way of doing things," Rogers said.
"I was pretty pleased with the way that all worked out. The parents are the people that are there all the time and will be there at the end so that was pretty special.
"It's just the start, it's not all celebrations and parties just yet. It's great news but the ultimate goal is playing as many games as possible and winning those games. We'll just wait for the summer to start.
"In terms of the chilling out side of things, there's mountains and rivers and fish as far as the eye can see. Just get in the 4WD and just drive, you'll something [that looks like a] postcard."
The domestic one-day cup is the first box to tick and Rogers is eyeing a spot on a pre-season tour to the Sunshine Coast to throw himself into the mix.
Tasmania's squad for the pre-season tour will be named on Monday as states await the arrival of the one-day cup fixture.
