But as the game developed, the trio of Scott Manson, Ben Pereira and Dane Maraki matched their opponents and, by the end of the game, had mastered them. The win was especially pleasing for Pereira, who injured his ankle and missed the final two years ago when the Reds beat University A.
"I was very disappointed. It was one of the hardest things that has happened to me," he said.
"It was the first time I'd missed any play-off games."
It made the 26-10 win on Saturday special.
"It was like a dream come true," he said.
"I was stoked managing to play a whole game."
The win was important to him.
"Mate, I've been thinking about this game ever since the final whistle blew last week," he said.
"I'm not the strongest line-out thrower and I spent extra time on that this week.
"I think I went OK."
He did not manage to get to sleep until after midnight the night before the game.
"But after that, I just crashed and woke up this morning and got myself ready," he said. "Knowing that we were coming up against Macdonald and Cameron made it very hard.
"I thought of them as just other players and we came out today to do the best we could."
What was it like playing against such an elite front row? "It was the highlight of my rugby career, knowing that we were against a New Zealand Maori prop and a Super 14 hooker," he said.
"We managed to hold our own. It was great I will remember this one."
Pereira used to specialise as a loosehead prop and became a hooker only at the end of last season and was picked for Otago B.
Pereira (23), an arts and Maori studies student at the University of Otago, played for Wairarapa Bush junior teams before coming to Dunedin.
He intends to send his winner's medal to his father, John Pereira, in Masterton. "He came to New Zealand from the Tokelau Islands when he was aged 11 and didn't know how to use a knife and fork," he said.
"I was a big boy at school and didn't have to train hard, but he drummed it into me that if I didn't train he wouldn't take me to see any more rugby."
Pereira scored 11 tries, the most for his team, this winter, but he did not score any in the final.
The scoring honours went to his props, Dane Maraki and Scott Manson, who bagged one each.
"I couldn't sleep much last night. I was just that nervous," Maraki said.
"I woke up early this morning and wanted to play then.
"I couldn't wait till 3 o'clock. It was really nerve-racking."
There was much mental pressure on Maraki (22), a physical education teacher trainee from the Bay of Islands, as he waited for the game to start.
"I flat with a few of the Alhambra-Union boys and we had a big breakfast and went our own ways until we met as a team at Opoho at 1pm."
He managed to relax by listening to music at home. "I tried to relax as much as I could," he said. The nerves had gone by the time the team ran on to the paddock.
Maraki won his first premier banner for the club two years ago, but it meant just as much for him on Saturday.
"The first time we won it meant a lot to the club," he said.
"This time it was our goal right from the start of the season.
"It was good to achieve."
Maraki scored his first try of the season and only his second for the club early in the second spell.
"I don't touch down very often. But I was very happy today," he said. Tighthead prop Scott Manson also scored a try.
"I just picked up the ball and went for it," he said.
"Two backs called for it but I could see the white line and just kept going.
"It felt good and I was really excited.
"It was not long until I had 10 team-mates in my face congratulating me."
Manson (20), a primary school teacher trainee, switched allegiance from University A to Alhambra-Union this year.
It was his first banner.
"It's an amazing feeling. I'm stoked," he said.
"I'm just so happy."
Captain Matt Clutterbuck, who was also captain two years ago, was excited.
"This one feels just as good," he said.
"I was very proud of the boys the way they played and the effort they put in throughout the whole season.
"This was a just reward for a big effort all year."
He paid tribute to the club members who do the administrative work. "It was awesome to do it for them," he said.
"It was huge for the club."
The team kept to its usual routine of meeting at the Opoho clubrooms two hours before the game to do stretches and have rubdowns.
"We did the same thing for the first game of the year.
"But we were at Carisbrook today and came away with the Speight's championship shield."
It was the second banner win for coach Mike Moeahu in his three years coaching the team.
"Both wins are special; it certainly feels very good today," Moeahu said. The wet ground the rain was expected to favour the Dunedin forwards.
"We put some plans in place to develop our forwards. The boys were getting better up front.
We looked after the ball and were a bit more consistent," Moeahu said.
He was pleased for the try-scoring props. "It was probably not the best game for the purist.
But it was awesome for us," he said.
"For these players if was great."
Doug Edwards' 26-month-old daughter, Arahia, had an early introduction to championship rugby when she was carried to the podium by her father when he received the winner's medal.
The win was special to Alhambra-Union chairman and life member Gary Wheeler, as his son Allan had game time as reserve halfback in the final.
His older son Shaun was a midfield back in the team that won the banner two years ago.
It was a proud day for other life members of the Alhambra-Union club, such as Adrian Reid, Gerard Simmons and Bill Trevathan, who were watching from the main grandstand.
Another large and vocal group of supporters, many carrying maroon and gold banners, stood on the terrace in the rain to cheer on their team.
